Lampeduas, 19. Juli 2012

Boats4People’s first action at sea is coming to an end. However, it is important to stress that the project is called upon to continue, and not only through its networking, legal analysis and litigation, observation and data collection activities.

Awareness-raising actions have already taken place simultaneously with the flottilla: Calais, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Paris, Amsterdam, Tilburg, etc. This type of action will continue to lend visibility to the project everywhere in Europe, in the Mediterranean and worldwide.

As was the case with the voyage on board the Oloferne, the last phase has a special symbolic value, since its stage is the island of Lampedusa, gateway to Fortress Europe.

The Oloferne docked at the island this July 16, and since then teams of journalists, lawyers and activists are busy collecting information from the population, the authorities, the new mayor Giusi Nicolini and the fishermen.

At their side, the Boats4People activists will celebrate that Mediterranean solidarity which the project claims, which Lampedusa embodies and which the promoters of the Lampedusa InFestival strive to pass on thanks to the cultural productions presented.

Boats4People joins in the Festival and introduces itself to the people of Lampedusa by showing two short videos, the Boats4People campaign teaser and the Watch the Med trailer, on 19 July between 12 and 1 pm at the old Anagrafe office near Piazza Castello, via Roma.

On the same day at 4 pm, a press conference will be held on board the Oloferne in the port of Lampedusa, beneath the offices of the coast guard. The speakers will be Carmen Cordaro (a lawyer and member of ARCI), Albert Chaïbou (an alternative journalist and a member of Alternative Espaces Citoyen – Niger), Lorenzo Pezzani (co-founder of the Watch the Med platform), Marco Tibiletti (captain of the Oloferne and president of La Nave di Carta) and Gianluca Vitale (director of Askavusa). We invite you to attend.

At 6 pm, the Boats4People activists will go to the “Gateway to Europe” monument for various actions commemorating those who died and were lost at sea: flowers will be cast into the sea from fishing boats, the play “Invisibles” by and with Mohamed Ba will be staged and a concert by Giacomo Sferlazzo and Alessio Greco will take place.

On that occasion, works of contemporary art created by the Ahle El Kahf group of Tunisian artists will be presented to the Museum of Migrations of Lampedusa as a symbol of Mediterranean solidarity.

Press contacts:

Carmen Cordaro (Italiano) : +39 33 88 64 02 13

Lorenzo Pezzani (Italiano) : +39 34 07 75 13 03

Nicanor Haon (Français / Español / English) : +39 32 82 93 71 98