This weekend Thessaloniki is going to show its anti-racist face with a festival that will take place this year in the former Pavlos Melas camp in Stavroupoli. It will include musical, cultural, political, and sports activities as well as a playground.
“This is the second time the festival is held at this location. Our choice is not random,” Nikos Nikisianis from the anti-racist Initiative of Thessaloniki said to Vima journal. The Anti-racist Initiative of Thessaloniki is one of the 160 bodies which have the responsibility of organizing the festival.
“First, the specific site is located in the western parts of the city where more workers and immigrants live. Secondly we want in this way to show our desire for the venue to remain free and accessible to everyone” he says.
The organizers based on last year’s participation estimate to have approximately 5,000 visitors per day. “In Thessaloniki the xenophobia and racism have increased in recent years, although the racially motivated attacks against immigrants are far less compared to Athens. At the same time at the institutional level we have clearly the racist policies. From the canceling of the citizenship law to the “Xenios Zeus” operation and detention camps,” organizers said.
“In this environment in terms of government policy it is hopeful that there is a reaction. We look forward to a greater participation this year than ever before. Beyond the anti-racist character, the festival will have a strong presence of movements related to ecology or the rights of workers.”
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
