Hello everyone,
This evening (Thursday), there’s a meeting in English on Agents of System Change. The moral force of the environmental movements in the Global North seems undeniable: they are right about the destruction of the planet and its disastrous consequences for the majority of the world’s population. But are these movements actually capable of becoming agents of fundamental change, namely the transition from capitalism to feminist eco-socialism? This opening public talk of the “Allied Grounds” conference on Thursday, October 5, will invite us to 1) re-evaluate the struggling global proletariat, especially informal and subsistence workers turned ‘fugitive laborers,’ as agents of systemic change and 2) discuss the allied grounds necessary for that change. It starts at 7pm, free admission, in the Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte (Greifswalder Straße 4).
Tomorrow, there are two memorial rallies. At 4.30pm, at Oranienplatz, we will be remembering Kupa Ilunga Medard Mutombo. On 14th September 2022, Kupa was in an assisted living home in Spandau for people who have been made mentally ill. He was to be transferred to a hospital. Three police officers, a doctor and an ambulance were called for the transfer. When Medard opened his door and saw the police, he panicked. The police officers used brutal force against the 64-year-old, throwing him on the floor, restraining him. One pushed a knee into his neck, while another lay on his back and prevented him from breathing. At least 13 other police officers entered the dormitory and did not let anyone into the room. According to one witness, Medard could no longer breathe. Kupa suffered injuries that caused him to die three weeks later, on 06.10.2022
The second memorial is at 6pm at Rudolf Reusch Straße 8 for Kurt Schneider. 24 years ago, Kurt was murdered by neo-Nazis in Urnenhain in Lichtenberg. We will also be there this year to commemorate him and, together with you, to talk to the neighbours. Feel free to bring candles and flowers. Social chauvinism kills! No-one is forgotten!
On Saturday and Sunday, there will be a workshop Harvesting Resilience; Foraging and Guerilla Gardening. This workshop series gives you the opportunity to rethink your relationship with nature, food and consumption. You will be able to connect with different people in an exchange of skill, knowledge and thoughts. Curated by Zeren Oruc, Harvesting Resilience workshops series are part of a long-term research project focusing on the food-land-culture relationship to examine the impact of our food production and consumption habits on the environment, land degradation, and forms of exploitation. They start on Saturday at 1pm in Treptower Park and on Sunday at 11am in the Oyoun garden. Harvesting Resilience is our Campaign of the Week.
On Saturday, journalist Özge İnan will be moderating a meeting with Yanis Varoufakis and Ece Temelkuran on The EU is failing. What should we do? The EU faces many challenges: economic disparities, skyrocketing living costs, political divisions and the threat of war. We’re in dire need of fresh thinking on possible solutions. The event promises a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives on the current state of the European Union and potential paths forward. And there will be lots of time for Q+A and networking after the panel debate. It starts at 7pm (doors open 6pm) at the Theater im Delphi.
There are many more activities this week in Berlin, which are listed on our Events page. You can also see a shorter, but more detailed list of events which we are directly involved in here.
In News from Berlin, the €29 monthly travel ticket is returning – but only for zones A and B, increased criticism of the Tesla factory in Grünheide, and lights turned off in Berlin public buildings to save money.
In News from Germany, Minister of State for Eastern Germany speaks about 33 years reunification, prison sentences for Last Generation activists, and 0.1% fall in unemployment.
Read all about it in this week’s News from Berlin and Germany.
New this week on theleftberlin, Palestinian photographer Rasha Al-Jundi was recently allowed to visit her homeland for the first time. We publish her visual diary. Deutsche Wohnen & Co activist and theleftberlin editorial board member Maria Cofalka tells us that Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen are back, and lets you know what you can do to support the campaign. Meanwhile. Phil Butland explains how you can learn about Berlin’s radical history by looking at who’s buried in its cemeteries.
If you want to help the Deutsche Wohnen & Co campaign and want to learn more about what’s happening, come along to the fundraising evening – Eine Küche für Alle – next Saturday in Bilgisaray. More information in next week’s Newsletter.
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Keep on fighting,
The Left Berlin Editorial Board
