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By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders Have we become too mean? What is the point of all this hate, intolerance, and distress? What does it really say about us? Where is our good faith, our desire to meet new people, persons of different backgrounds, colors, smells, and looks? That instead of misjudging or not allowing ourselves to appreciate a person different from who we are, we end up making a habit of breaking that human bond in the worst way; by hurting with words, gestures, and toxic reactions the soul, mind, and heart of the person that we do not even allow ourselves to respect. Maybe it comes from our education when our surroundings told us to be wary of those who look different; not to approach them, not to look at them, and especially not to talk to them. But is it a reason? That with all your mind, your humanity, your knowledge, and your own vision of things, without the influence of anyone, you choose hatred rather than friendship, politeness, respect, or conviviality? And that as a first reaction some become tormentors instead of honoring the human bond we all share? Why is it easier to hurt than to appreciate? Hate speech is used to intimidate and harm, employing stigmatic, offensive, bullying, and threatening language, expressed both privately and publicly, against an individual or group on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion, social status, sexual preference, age, or political views (among others). It is often defined in terms of the harm it will cause and its connection to the principles of dignity, and the ideas it conveys. With the spread of different media, and above all, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, the brutality of certain exchanges and the violence that emerges from them generates not only an audience but also a most disturbing behavior, which as a side effect has to disrupt the sanctity of our mental health and plays with and thwarts our sensibility and our reactions. Moreover, the online experiences of users are managed by algorithms designed to keep them engaged, which contributes to wading into the same ideologies over and over again. And nowadays, trolling is a phenomenon that is all too common on the Internet. Those trolls/people who deliberately hurt and provoke others in interactions that arouse and/or fuel bad feelings and reactions such as hatred, aggression, denigration, and harassment, hijack the conversation in a way that makes it impossible to have a constructive, respectable, and/or benevolent discussion. Studies suggest that the main factor in this behavior is the feeling of not being able to really express oneself, adding to this is the feeling of humiliation, and the feeling of being misunderstood and ridiculed is projected onto others, and so on. Therefore, discussing and questioning the content of the different interactions on social media is an essential action and request for the well-being of society. And especially that young people, while they are the future and are building tomorrow, spend most of their time on it and with content that is most often questionable, or even prejudicial, unknown to their parents or even the authorities. And this hate speech may lead to large-scale violence and conflicts. Although we do have laws against hate speech, they are often difficult to enforce and rely on the victims themselves to initiate their own lawsuits, which can come at a huge personal, emotional, psychological, and financial cost. All governments and countries around the world are facing this problem, just to give you an idea here are some indications about the current laws in different countries:   In Denmark: The main piece of Danish national legislation regarding online hate speech is paragraph 266 b of the Danish Penal Code (“the racism paragraph”). This paragraph prohibits threats, mockery, and degradation against groups defined by race, skin color, nationality, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.  Paragraph 266(b) in Chapter 27 states (violations of peace and honor) of the penal code: Whoever publicly, or with intent to distribute in a wider circle, presents a proclamation or some other message by which a group of persons is threatened, mocked, or degraded because of its race, skin color, national or ethnic origin, faith or sexual orientation, is to be punished with fine or prison up to 2 years.  In determining the punishment, it shall be considered an aggravating factor if the act had characteristics of propaganda”.   Even though everyone has the right to publish their thoughts in both oral and written form, it will be up to the courts to judge whether or not there is hate speech.  New Zealand prohibits hate speech under the Human Rights Act 1993. Section 61 of the Act (Racial Disharmony) makes it unlawful to publish or distribute “threatening, insulting or abusive material or words that arouse hostility or contempt against groups of people because of their skin color, race, ethnic or national origin”. Although there has been some debate regarding the requirement that there be a clear link to violence to justify the regulation over hate speech.  France also enacted a law in June 2020, known as the “Avia law,” requiring online platforms to remove hateful content reported by users within 24 hours (as in India), but a court struck down this law on the grounds that it infringed on freedom of expression in a way that was not necessary, appropriate or proportionate. In July 2015, the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights deemed that “the existing incriminations […] are sufficient.”  However, jurisprudence still punishes hate speech via Article 32 of the July 29, 1881 law on freedom of the press. And the Pleven law of 1972 punishes incitement to racial hatred through this paragraph: “defamation or insult, committed against a group of people belonging, by their origin, to a race or a specific religion, [when it] will have had the aim of inciting hatred between citizens or inhabitants”. it remains a very controversial subject in France.    Germany has the toughest law against online hate speech,

By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders On March 17, 2022, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, in the welcoming offices of Crossing Borders, an interesting free event about entrepreneurship took place. Celine Faty and Flavia Kwebiiha gladly opened up about their experiences as entrepreneurs, sharing their journey in creating their business and the tools needed for anyone who wants to have an entrepreneurial future.   To give the audience an idea of what is possible when you are motivated and well surrounded, these entrepreneurs and their audience observed and analyzed some important results of a project developed with 5 European countries, called FAMET – Fostering Adult Migrant Entrepreneurial Training and Qualification. Finger food, drinks, and snacks were prepared by the talented Flavia Kwebiiha as a closing of the event delighted the guests.  Since no other similar event is planned yet. I thought you might be interested in a little recap of the evening, with Pauline Teruin, the organizer of this event: 1/ R: What was the purpose of this event? P: The purpose of the event was to introduce the outcomes of the project FAMET: the FAMET course and the Career Kit which both aim to provide guidance and motivation to migrant entrepreneurs. At the same time, two migrant entrepreneurs presented the story of their entrepreneurial journey, touching upon the commitment, the challenges, and the positive sides of being self-employed.  2/ R: How did you come to choose Celine Faty and Flavia Kwebiiha as guests for the event?   P: Céline Faty is from France, a Confidence Keynote Speaker & Coach, founder of “Women of My Tribe”, a non-profit organization helping women with entrepreneurial growth and development, and of QIIM, an eco-friendly “African-inspired” clothing line. She was chosen to speak at the event because of her many years of experience and the diversity of businesses she leads.  Flavia Kwebiiha is from Uganda and is a health coach. She helps people and especially women that have given birth to find a healthy diet and feel comfortable in their bodies. Flavia was invited to bring the perspective of a newer entrepreneur in a different field than Céline.  Both were noticed for their public speaking skills and their great interaction with the audience.  3/ R: How did the event unfold? Was there a good interaction between the speakers and the audience?  P: The event was very interesting and inspiring. Flavia and Céline gave us motivational tips but also very practical ones about how to open and manage a business in Denmark. We had some participants who had never heard about Crossing Borders before and stayed at the end of the talk to ask questions about the organization and its projects.  We had about 20 people attending, students from the entrepreneurship program at Aalborg University, some recent graduates, and other adults looking to change careers. The speakers’ presentations were very engaging, and the participants asked many questions.  4/ R: And will this event be repeated? P: Crossing Borders has already carried out several projects on migrant entrepreneurship and has a large network of foreigners in Denmark who are always looking for contacts and inspiration, so yes similar events may well be repeated often! Starting a business is a real professional and personal journey, it’s about growing and learning at high speed, and as a migrant, it can be a serious challenge.  But the important thing to remember is that it is possible to achieve what you desire. With the right tools, the right knowledge, and the sharing of resources and experiences through an experienced network, your goal will become an exciting challenge. So don’t give up and don’t hesitate to ask Crossing Borders about it, you’ll be surprised at what we can do together.  Don’t miss Crossing Borders Blog This is how we celebrated the International Women’s Day 2022 March 15, 2022 Crossing Borders Blog The story of Natasha Al-Hariri – How did she end up doing what she is doing! March 15, 2022 Crossing Borders Blog Why we should protect Writers Freedom! with Mille Rode from DanskPEN February 28, 2022 Crossing Borders Blog Human Rights, Climate Refugees and Third-Culture Child! Key words from the FFT with Yasmin Abdel-Hak March 15, 2022 Join the CB Global Family Support Crossing Borders F.A.M.E.T. – FOSTERING ADULT MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION Know more

By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders Tuesday, March 8, 2022, like everywhere else, is International Women’s Day in Copenhagen. And Crossing Borders is proud and happy to celebrate this event with a program full of interest and charm. In partnership with the Anna Lindh Foundation, the event took place at Studenterhuset, which is, as you may know, one of the liveliest cafés and a vibrant cultural and professional meeting place in Copenhagen. On this occasion, I will tell you a little more about “International Women’s Rights Day” and the smooth running of this event.  But first, let’s talk about how it all started… and guess what, it all started here in Copenhagen!It’s interesting to know that International Women’s Day was first established at the 1910 International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen. At this conference, Clara Zetkin, a German journalist, and politician proposed to her assembly the creation of an “International Women’s Day”. The main objective was to obtain the right to vote for women. This event was celebrated for the first time on March 19, 1911. The date of March 8 was adopted internationally in 1921. And it is only in 1977 that March 8 is officially recognized as “International Women’s Day” by the United Nations.  And little by little… this day becomes more and more important! Therefore, on March 8, 2022, accompanied by our remarkable guests and public, we celebrated women, we put the light on their rights, and we claimed gender equality. The event was animated by the distinguished Susanne Gargiulo and included speeches, music, poetry, and good food specially prepared that day by Chef Zaki Abbara. And lots of joy and good cheer! We had a real show! Simona Abdallah, a Danish-Palestinian percussionist, enchanted us with her darbouka, combining energy, strength, and softness, she knew how to portray the woman through her strength and her delicacy. The crowd went wild, it was hard to stay seated, so we enjoyed the tribute by clapping our hands and making our hearts dance. How good it was! Sarah Diallo, Noura Bittar and Pearl Cutten rocked us with words. With bleeding poetry about violence and abuse of women, Sarah Diallo reminded us that this is a day to remember all the women who have been disillusioned, saddened, bruised, and disrespected. That this day is also a day to remember to change things, to make sure that our mothers, our sisters, our friends, our colleagues, and our neighbors have a better life than their female ancestors who had to go through such terrible times so that today they walk with their heads up and continue to challenge those who dare to stand in their way so that tomorrow this day vibrates with their progress. Noura Bittar, under the eyes full of love and admiration of her young daughter, told us about her fight and efforts for the future of her daughter. She never ceased to thank the chance that put in her path women of all nationalities who inspired her and encouraged her to go forward. Pearl Cutten’s remarkable soulful voice resonated through poems and songs, to finally call us beautiful. A very nice way to treat each other. Kristina Issa totally dazzled us, and that’s not saying much. By sharing with us the story of her grandmother, she took us on a nostalgic, painful, and tender journey linking music and memories. We could have listened to her for hours and never wanted to leave. Alba María Navas Luque, the representative of the Anna Lindh Foundation, an impeccable expert in international grants for the same Foundation, enlightened the assembly with her commitment, explaining the different projects they implement to protect women all around the Euromed. Lisbeth Pilegaard and Nyeleti Sue-Angel, the duo of executive director of DIPD (Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy), and vice president of the board of Crossing Borders explained their commitments to greater inclusion of women in the workplace while declaring why the former had joined the Anna Lindh Foundation and why the latter is a member of Crossing Borders. Previous Next As for the only man on the guestlist Jackson Wahengo, although a great Namibian star appreciated for his incomparable music, kept saying how much he was lucky to be with us to celebrate this important day and rhythmically shared his freedom and strength with us through his music and his electric guitar. We were all so happy and proud to be there, to celebrate Women’s Day, that it was hard to end it.This event is very important to Crossing Borders, and we want to emphasize that our office is very feminine, and we believe that women’s place in society and in the workplace is paramount. The guests were very excited to be there, they shared their stories, their families’ stories, the struggles they had to go through to be where they are today, and all the struggles they still have to go through to be able to achieve a better situation, respect, and acceptance. So that one day their children and future children will not have to go through this struggle. You get the idea, love, kindness, generosity, courage, and will. Who better to represent Women’s Day? Know that the underlying idea that each guest wanted to convey is that we are all responsible for our thoughts and actions, and therefore have the power to choose the world we want to live in, the world the women in our lives should live in, and to actively challenge stereotypes, improve living/working conditions, and celebrate women’s achievements. By doing so, we can contribute to creating a better world and a better life for everyone. Don’t miss Crossing Borders Blog The story of Natasha Al-Hariri – How did she end up doing what she is doing! March 15, 2022 Crossing Borders Blog Why we should protect Writers Freedom! with Mille Rode from DanskPEN February 28, 2022 Crossing Borders Blog Human Rights, Climate Refugees and Third-Culture Child! Key words from the FFT with Yasmin Abdel-Hak

By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders March 03, 2022, at 17.00 – Ubuntu Huset At Crossing Borders headquarters, on March 03, 2022, for the third Food For Thought event, we had the pleasure of welcoming Natasha Al-Hariri, director of DFUNK – Danish Refugee Council Youth -, lawyer, organizer, and debater of Palestinian origin. A well-known face to the Danish public, who know her through her various media appearances where she speaks about gender inequality and issues of acceptance and/or integration of immigrants, but today we are trying to get to know a little more about the lady behind these hot topics and get her opinion on the challenges the refugees face. With an audience as remarkable as the guest of honor, the event was particularly stimulating and concluded as usual with the healthiest and most succulent of meals, this time prepared by our dear Syrian refugee Manal. A moment of sharing in which we highlighted what is holding us back, and what should be said and done. But I will let you discover it through an interview without complacency. Please let’s take a leap in the past and tell us a little bit about your family history and your experience in Denmark. N: My parents fled the civil war in Lebanon and on the way, I was born in the Netherlands. So, they sought asylum in the Netherlands because that’s where they ended up. But during that time my uncle, my father’s brother, came to Denmark and his other brother came to Poland. And seeing their family shredded into so many pieces was hard for them and they wanted to reunite the family, so they came to Denmark and asked for asylum again. We ended up in a municipality just north of Copenhagen, in a very white rich neighborhood with very few refugees. I think for my parents to have that as a home was both very safe but also very unsafe. They had no one to have their morning coffee with. They had no one who understood them, they had no one they could relate to. But at the same time, the people around them, their neighbors introduced them to the local neighborhood and have dinner with them, and so on, which was really important to my parents. Being raised with that hope was pretty interesting. But I was just a kid as any kid at that time. I didn’t put so many thoughts into who I was or the color of my skin, and the people around me didn’t either. At least not in the way we see it today. It wasn’t until I was 13 years old and started wearing the hijab, and that was my first confrontation with society. That’s when I started to feel different, not just physically, because of the way I looked, but also because of the way society treated me. And I had encountered racism and discrimination, whether it was against me or my family. But I didn’t have the tools to deal with it, and neither did my parents. And who could we talk to about it? We didn’t even have language about it. We couldn’t say it was racist, it just wasn’t acceptable to point it out. But my parents always made room for conversations about it at home and it was very important for me to be able to express myself.  R: I understand that your personal experience and your family history have led you to where you are today. But I think that to continue in this field and to keep this will for activism and fight to change the immigration system and integration policy, takes more than some sort of historical or personal connection. Tell us why your work is so important and meaningful to you, aside from the obvious causal links. N: I think my work with DFUNK is important because DFUNK is a place where one can create change. A space for young people who have fled to Denmark and who can now grab the mic and come to sit around the table where decisions are being made. It’s so important for me because even at the hardest times, even at the most traumatizing times, I have a space where I can come and feel safe. And I think for us it is so important to engage in the local communities, always be looking at who we can engage with and how we can continue to create change in Denmark. We try in our work to be where people need us. And a lot of people in our community want to be in a safe space where they can engage. For example, we have this food concept, where once a week we make food, we eat, we dance, we do whatever we want/need together.  And for a lot of people, their main community is DFUNK. So, it’s really important for them to be where they can feel safe, where they can feel welcome, where they don’t have to talk or do anything they don’t want to. And unfortunately, women are the most vulnerable and the most targeted. So, we’ve done campaigns and we’ve engaged politicians in this. We also have a program for young refugees who want to participate in public debate, so we have people who teach them how to interact with journalists, how to get on a stage, and how to write a speech. All this is to be able to protect ourselves, for our own sake, but also for the sake of what we are here for.   R: In Denmark, the integration of Danish immigrants and their descendants is an often-debated social issue. This debate frequently leads to how to create and/or maintain cohesion in societies, while inevitably becoming more ethnically and culturally mixed. Can you tell us how it is possible to create mutual political and social recognition between the two parties? N: I think some of it can be created within the law system, so we need good politicians and good lawmakers. But we

By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders 100 years later, PEN is a global organization defending writers and anyone who works with the written word around the world. An anniversary that coincides with the coming of Mille Rode to Crossing Borders, on February 17, 2022, for the second Food For Thought event. A happy coincidence that contributed to a real moment where human and intellectual richness intertwines. And as usual, surrounded by people of all origins looking forward to opening their minds to understand and contribute to a better world. Once again to conclude this exchange in the most pleasant way, our dear Youssra Asmi has concocted a meal of the tastiest. The world’s first NGO: PEN was founded by poet, novelist, feminist, and internationalist Catherine Amy Dawson Scott in 1921, who described the organization as ‘a republic of words to unite nations’. The name PEN stands for the words Poets, playwrights, essayists, editors & novelists, and of course it also refers to the author’s most important tool, the pen.    Today, the organization has national centers in more than 100 countries. Danish PEN was founded in 1924 as a subdivision of International PEN. Its members include authors, journalists, translators, editors, and publishers who work to spread freedom of expression and literature across borders. Their areas of interest include human rights, international and cultural relations, and the arts and media. Mille Rode, General Secretary of the Danish PEN section since 1995, shares with us her personal and professional experience with PEN Denmark, which has now lasted for more than 25 years, as well as her thoughts on the current situation in the world. Here is an interview, which may give you an idea of what a great meeting it was.   How is PEN different from other freedom of expression organizations? We are different in the way that we are a colleague organization. It’s not that we know exactly what’s the right thing. We are just trying to open the gate for the work to come out. So, when we are colleague to colleague organizations, we like to try to offer a voice or a pen to someone who has been blocked from using either. What are your steps to get political leaders to consider your view of a situation you are trying to unblock? I mean, how do you motivate political leaders to guarantee the freedom of expression that you are trying to protect? I don’t know if we can really motivate them. We can protest in the sense that we write letters to politicians in countries that have imprisoned their writers. We write to judges. We sometimes attend trials to witness what’s going on and we try to speak for the people we represent. I don’t think our letters or our protests make much difference in the world, for example when I write to President Erdogan in Turkey, I doubt he reads the letters but still, we keep pushing and pushing and there are so many of us doing it from many parts of the world that it ends up making a difference. Right now, at the Saudi Arabian Embassy here in Copenhagen, every Friday for the last five years I have been writing them a postcard. So, they have a pile of postcards in their office that they have to report to the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry. So, in a sense, it’s a way to get into the holes that we’re not allowed to get into. It’s a kind of protest that we do. And of course, sometimes we know that the pressure from the outside, from many voices from the outside, is so annoying, that people, governments, or politicians think that they have to get rid of the problem as soon as possible. How do you define freedom of expression and how do you respond to those who say that hate speech is freedom of expression? My definition of freedom of expression is, on the one hand, the absence of censorship. There is no need for censorship. We shouldn’t have laws, governments, or ways to censor. People should be able to write whatever they want, even if what they write is something we don’t like. I would also defend people I disagree with. I want them to be able to write too, but freedom of speech is the fact that we can discuss it, that we can discuss the disagreement in an open space, that we can confront the disagreements instead of locking them down or blocking them. Because I believe that the strongest argument is the one that wins, and you never have the strongest argument on this topic. We discuss we learn from each other while confronting our opinions, and those opinions are formed by the discussion we have had with others. But when it comes to hate speech, it’s a different thing. It’s different because it targets people in the sense that they are threatened, disrespected, or demeaned simply because they are who they are, whether they are a different color, different sexuality or culture, a different religion, and so on. We shouldn’t disrespect each other in that sense. We can disagree with each other, and we can argue, but we shouldn’t disrespect each other. This is hate speech, this is a kind of speech where we target a group of people just for who they are. Journalists are attacked all over the world, even though it is now 2022. For example, 5 journalists were killed in Mexico, not to mention journalists in Palestine who are all too often attacked by the Israeli forces, can you tell us how to ensure the protection of journalists and the protection of the truth? We need to put pressure on the government to make sure they have the right laws and measures to investigate crimes against journalists. In Mexico, most of the people who have killed journalists have never been trialed, never been put in jail, they have never even been found. So, journalists are

Article by Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern Crossing borders  As our world becomes more globalized, identity becomes a very urgent issue. and who better than a human rights lawyer, from a very long line of migrants going back at least five generations, could answer the various questions about the interplay between identity, interculturality, human relationships and interactions, and human rights through their stagnations, regressions, and evolutions, both at “home” and abroad. On February 10, 2022, at the respective offices of the NGO Crossing Borders, highlighting their collaboration with the Anna Lindh Foundation, for the first launch of the Food For Thought event in 2022: Yasmin Abdel-Hak, a human rights lawyer and founder and CEO of Global Migration and Politics, shared her personal and professional reflections and experiences, both as a human rights lawyer and as an intercultural person, surrounded by people from all over the world; under the blessing of a delicious Syrian meal neatly prepared by the very devoted Youssra Asmi.  We asked Yasmin some questions about her childhood, human rights, and politics, and these were her answers! Enjoy reading the interview. How was your childhood and how did that help shape the person you are now? I would most likely describe myself as a cross-cultural child growing up in two different Cultures and a biracial child as well. Growing up in Denmark with an Egyptian dad and a Danish mum but also with strong ties to our family in Egypt and our family in the United States. I grew up in a very diverse and very multicultural family, and I think that’s what made me curious and what gave me a more open outlook on the world. What kind of child you were and what kind of adults did you turn to? I think growing up in a multicolored cultural family made me curious as to how people live their lives. As a child and as a grown-up, I think I was a good listener and I think I still am. I took that into my professional life as well. When I worked with asylum seekers, a very important part of the job is to hear people’s stories. You are the so-called third culture child, as well as your children. Can you explain this characteristic? That’s cultural. My children were raised in Portugal, and they have me as their mom and their dad is Danish. So, we speak Danish in our home, but they speak English and Portuguese during their school day. As a result, they speak three different languages. And they are, in essence, children of the third culture. This characteristic is a strength, not a weakness. Even if it can sometimes be a challenge in terms of identity, it gives a curious and global vision of so many things. Tell us about your career as a human rights lawyer. When I decided to study law, I realized that the only thing that made sense to me was to study human rights. And so, once I graduated, I started in the Danish Immigration Service, the Asylum Department, which I thought was the most interesting and exciting department to work in because I got to meet people from all over the world who would seek asylum in Denmark, and you have to remember when you are meeting asylum seekers they are at the most vulnerable point in their life. And they have been in a waiting position quite often for a very long time, so it’s the interview you have with them is probably the most defining and the most crucial interview in their life, so you really have to be prepared and show respect for the situation and their story. That’s very important. But also, as a civil servant you are there to serve the law, you are sort of making sure that the law, the requirements of the law are met. You have to make sure that you ask the right questions, the relevant questions to get their story enlightened as much as possible so that you can make an academically correct and right decision in accordance with the law and that means that sometimes you have to ask people difficult questions and to elaborate that they are actually in need of protection in accordance with the international criteria set for asylum. How would you define human and civil rights, especially today with the impact of the COVID situation and climate change? I think human rights and civil rights are in many ways have been challenged these recent years, especially in authoritarian states. And Covid has become a very convenient way to inhibit freedom and clearly gives a very practical excuse model to say, you know, you can’t go out after 8:00 p.m. And in countries that are already authoritarian, I don’t see any improvement. In terms of climate change, many people are already experiencing it. Such as islands in the Pacific that have completely disappeared and are completely flooded, as well as the deforestation of the Sahel; and as a result, people are losing their homes, their farms, and their land. And I think we need to understand that the way our climate is being challenged these years, goes hand in hand with our human rights and I think we have to revise the way we see human rights because we are by now facing climate refugees. So, this is definitely something we need to incorporate into our tools of human rights and into our conventions of human rights. What do you think are the biggest civil and human rights issues facing this generation? I think identity is a big challenge and I often see that in connection with the Internet and social media. The power of social media, and how easily you give away all your personal data, and how that is being misused on so many different social platforms. I think it can really make and/or break a lot of people. And I think by giving away lots of personal data, we are

By Lavinia Ortu featuring Ilona Sahakyan, a participant from Armenia within our project Youth Ambassadors for Peace. “Young people are not part of their past, they have power now, they can impact their communities daily. See the world, tackle the issues and make actions” I started typing quickly on my laptop, trying to catch all these powerful words after I asked what the “Youth ambassadors for peace” project was about. As I listened carefully, I got more curious, the more I learned about the project, the more I wanted to know about it. Funded by CISU and implemented by our partners along side Crossing Borders, this project took place in 4 different countries that share a very complex past: Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. In a 2 year span, more than 960 youth got the opportunity to experience activities about important topics such as: conflict resolution, mediation, non-violent communication, active citizenship and participation among others. One of the participants to this project, Ilona Sahakyan, agreed to answer to all my curious questions. Ilona, a 16 years old Armenian girl, incarnates all the beliefs and prospects that we at Crossing Borders have about youth. As an “activist by heart”, Ilona, is already accomplishing so many dreams and wonder- ful things that a lifetime would’t be long enough. After a quick introduction and some ice breakers I pressed the recording button and got ready to take notes. These are some of the highlights of our conversation. Ilona Sahakyan – from her Facebook page Did you have any expectations prior to starting the activities? I only knew it was going to be about peace and conflicts. But the stress wasn’t on conflicts, it was rather on tools for solving these conflicts. We expected it to be a very formal project, you know, one of those cold seminars, just taking notes and discussing; instead, it turned out to be a completely different, unique experience! It didn’t just meet my expectations, it exceeded them. I met all the other ambassa- dors in a friendly environment, shared thoughts and discussed serious topics at the same time. How was it like meeting a lot of young people from different countries? It was amazing, we studied together and learnt from each other. I appreciate the new friendships, although I didn’t keep contacts with everyone. My teacher used an Armenian expression: “Ilona, you see everything with pink glasses” meaning that I was being too optimistic about keeping contacts with every- one. He was right but I’m happy we could share those experiences together and I still keep contacts with some of them. What projects are you involved into at the moment? I am an activist by heart; I love being engaged in various activities. I recently started a project called Educational revolution; I gathered students and teachers like me and we are working to improve the educational system in Armenia. If we want to have a better society, a better government, we must start from education. I believe that education is at the root of humanity. If you want to be happy in life you must start from education. From the Archive – Youth Ambassadors visiting Denmark Did the Youth Ambassadors for Peace project helped you in some way to develop Educational revolu- tion? It did! I think it was great that we cooperated with the peace ambassadors because they have interesting ideas. It’s not important to have the same perspectives but everyone’s thoughts are valuable. Discussing topics with students from different countries can be a clear advantage. How was your first day at the Peace camp you had in Moldova? It was like entering another world. I wasn’t scared about meeting new people because I’m very easygoing. The first day at the camp was very impressive because Garba (the director of Crossing Borders) announced that we are all peace ambassadors and we could feel the atmosphere change, everyone was excited, he said: “Now you are the peace ambassadors of the world and it is our responsibility to expand this idea across the world, starting from our society” we were all sitting down, it was such a solemn moment, it looked straight out of a movie. How did you feel when you heard those words? I’m from Armenia and living in a country that is constantly facing conflicts, I know in my heart that peace is everything. I experienced war on myself, everyone experienced it, my friend, their family members… but in this world conflicts are everywhere and peace should be rooted in our mentality, that’s why I always remember I am a peace ambassador and I always mention that. I’m planning on having a peace speech and I want to start a peace making project after I succeed in the Educational revolution and open up my educational center. – hold on, hold on! I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate all the work Ilona is doing! I was mind blown when she was telling me her story, she probably read the astonishment in my face. Now back to the interview I also talk about conflict with my friends and relatives. Our neighbours are not our enemies, it’s not a conflict between nations it’s a conflict between governments. As a peace ambassador I was proud to represent the youth peace camp during a conference in Armenia. Which activity signed you the most at peace camp? One of the activities was about the consequences of our actions. We all had a piece of paper and we could doeverything we wanted to do with it. they told us “imagine the paper is your enemy what would you do that piece of paper?”. One girl placed the paper on her head acknowledging that her and the enemy are equals. Another one put it behind her back, ignoring the enemy and keeping looking forward. Personally I bended the paper in half, to show my enemy that I am powerful and could hurt it if I wanted to; I then put

By Lavinia Ortu “I realized that food is one of the key issues in the global inequality, global climate change, and culture. ” says Franciska Rosenkilde at the latest Food for Thoughts event. “Food is identity, an opportunity to connect with different cultures” Franciska, Copenhagen’s cultural mayor, is currently running for the November 16th elections with the Alternative party. We were lucky to have her as a guest last Thursday, where she addressed different issues regarding the climate crisis and how that interlays both with culture and food.  A meal is the point of connection to every social issue in many ways. We are what we eat; the smell of a spice, the taste of a particular meal can teleport us to a different reality or even bring us back to a childhood memory whether it’s grandma’s house or one of the many special places in our heart.  Franciska started in the kitchen; “chopping up carrots” as she said during her introduction. A passion that later translated into her career as a cook. Subsequently, the love for that field drew her into pursuing a Bachelor degree in health and nutrition, but it was primarily her Masters degree in food supply and climate change that made her realize how prominent the climate crisis is and to join forces with the Alternative party. In 2017 she was elected as Copenhagen’s cultural mayor; she had to learn and grow everyday, as she had barely any political experience at that time. One of the most important aspects about her life as a politician now is being surrounded by the citizens and acting like a true representative for her voters.  “Food is significant in meeting people” was one of her first statements; a concept that is very dear to our team as sharing good meals is at the core of the Food for Thoughts’ events. Different cultures express their identity thanks to traditional meals and food is the point of connection for an integrated society. In the mayor’s view finding solutions for climate change can help solve issues related to inequality in the Danish society; especially when this concept is applied to the food production industry, that is deeply ruining our ecosystem.  The Alternative party understands and prioritise climate change as the most peculiar crisis in our society. “We can’t keep doing the same things over and over again expecting better results”. To tackle climate change we need to transform our system; this is what the Alternative party wants to achieve once elected. The consumption and food production at this day and age is the problem. We have to stop the absurd growth that our economy is trying to reach; it is necessary to take a step back and find more sustainable ways of life, as well as invest in green energy.  “In Denmark art and culture are important to have, it doesn’t have that heaviness in the welfare” According to Franciska’s view climate politics and cultural politics are the most important aspects in the green transition. When we reflect upon ourself through education and culture we can reflect upon society and change it. 

By Lavinia Ortu When I hopped off the bus at the Eagle Butte Youth center I felt the snow on my bare ankles, the caress of the cold South Dakotan wind, it was February after all, and the temperature there reaches   – 30 degrees every winter. The lights, from inside the big windows of the building in front of me, were drawing me inside, it looked warm and cozy. As the whole group of volunteers was carrying the luggage inside, big clouds of steam were slowly rising toward the sky from our chatting in the cold, we were all excited and ready to get to work. At the door a sweet lady, that I later found out to be one of the founding figures at the youth center, received us with a smile.  My name is Lavi, when I was 17 I moved to the United States to study abroad. During the school year, I had the opportunity to apply for different volunteering projects around the United States through my high school. The one that I was looking forward the most was the “Cheyenne river youth project”. I loved the opportunity to work with kids for some time, travel to South Dakota and learn something from the experience.  The second morning at the Youth center I got out of my sleeping bag and got ready for a day full of work. First stop was Mary’s house, a cat lover with lots of plants, she is responsible for building mini houses for the community. She welcomed us with coffee, gave us some directions regarding the project and we all got to work right away. I was scared and excited; I didn’t know how to insulate houses or how to place the flooring; besides, it was so cold that the water bottles would freeze within minutes, even inside the small houses. I learnt so much over the 3 days spent on the construction site; everyone in the team was working toward the same goals, the most skilled members would always help out the weakest ones. I got a real sense of empowerment and happiness throughout all the projects we did. There was never a dull moment; whether we were preparing a drive through or planning a basketball tournament for the kids; nothing paid off more than seeing the children smile, having fun together.  Even if my back hurt at night, and the sleeping bag was way too thin to soften the hardness of the bare floor underneath, I never struggled falling asleep, happy and fulfilled after a long day of work.  Happiness really comes from the little things, I lost track of time, being always busy doing something different, to the point that when it was finally time to leave I would have rather stayed more; which is something hard to achieve with a paying job; as a matter of fact I was always happy to clock out where I was employed at the time.   During my stay, I was able to get to know the Cheyenne River reservation really closely. This reserved area is home to 4 bands of the “Titunwan” people. I was lucky to meet these groups during some gatherings that we organised. I remember sitting in big circles, the smell of special spices slowly filling the atmosphere; the products, freshly picked from the garden outside the youth center, piled in baskets on the tables; the sound of ancient chants in the distance that gave me goosebumps every time. I remember feeling the bittersweet sense of pride in the community; the powerlessness defeat for loosing what once was their territory.  This community is one of the great populations forced to give up ownership of their own land in North America. The land where they built their beliefs and traditions over thousands of years. Along with other groups they were once able to look at the horizon, knowing that they could live freely and proudly in direct contact with mother hearth. Through the centuries, forced to adapt, they had to modernise their way of life; follow routines that didn’t align with their identity anymore; forget their language even; surrender to unknown diseases. This is why it is so important to learn more about their traditions and empower the younger generations to always keep alive their pride.  Through volunteering I learnt the value of understanding different cultures. The biggest reward is being able to help each other grow in an ever-changing multicultural world. We are evolving to be interconnected more and more everyday, we have the opportunity to change both ours and other people’s lives with one click. We don’t have to travel far to find a volunteering job, it’s a reality that can happen as close as one’s own neighbourhood but the benefits within it are endless. 

By Maryam Alaouie That leaves us with the question of whether Dr. Samay Hamed left Afghanistan or not. Well, if I say that this article will be about stories from Dr. Samay Hamed live at Crossing Borders’ Food for Thought, would that answer your question? Poems by Dr. Samay Hamed “When you have no political power to challenge corrupt dinosaurs Borrow money from your friend and buy a bottle of forgetfulness Wesley”  Before calling himself a doctor, writer, or poet, Abdul Samay Hamed identified himself as one of the afghans who wanted to change Afghanistan. In 1985, he began his first underground newspaper Salam, and in 2003, Hamed had started more than 90% of Afghanistan’s free publications. For that reason, he was a highly targeted figure. Having received political asylum in Denmark for 20 years, Hamed and his wife decided to return to Afghanistan; after the US invasion drove the Taliban from power. There, he founded new press freedom organizations and worked further for the promotion of freedom of expression. The projects he worked on made him a direct adviser to the president when it came to innovation and modernization. But we can read about all that on Google… So, you are probably asking yourself why he returned after receiving political asylum in a peaceful country like Denmark. Was it nationalism? Patriotism? Was he insane? Poems by Dr. Samay Hamed “Art had always been a twine And none of them are better than other Just one has a temporary job And the second a long-life mission” After Hamed got back to Afghanistan. Boom. Taliban got back into power. By that time, he undoubtedly knew his life was at risk due to the several ongoing projects circling between political satires and innovative development plans he had been working on in Kabul. “One day, I get a call from the Danish culture minister, she told me that I should get out of Afghanistan as soon as possible”, said Hamed while narrating the events of his last moments in Kabul. “I did not want to leave my country in its worst situation, but an old friend, who is now a minister in Taliban said to me ‘The only service I can do for you, if you want to stay alive, is put you in jail…’”                                                                                                    “Even if you are deadly upset Don’t lie to yourself Death is not better than this hard life” Poems by Dr. Samay Hamed At that point, Hamed knew deep down that he had to leave, and after passing three checkpoints, between snipers, Taliban soldiers, American soldiers with cables violently striking people, he managed to get to the airport. Today, at Crossing Borders, Hamed narrated stories about his arrival, the situation in Kabul, and his escape. However, what was attention-grabbing was a narrative he carried about a group he called “The disappeared army”. So, the Afghan government claimed to have three hundred thousand soldiers, including police officers, which counts to three hundred thousand salaries. “However, in reality, they owned less than one hundred thousand soldiers, but the other two remaining was only written on papers to an army that had no existence” spills Hamed. You are wondering where those salaries went instead. The money was distributed to warlords, ministers, and local commanders. Simply, another tale of corruption. But what was interesting about the way Hamed saw change, was that it did not include guns, knives, armies, or money. He saw change in innovation, in words. “When terrorists are drinking your blood with their iron straw Write new poems with red pens” Poems by Dr. Samay Hamed During the Q&A, the final part of Food for Thought (before the actual food), Hamed was asked what the difference was between performing change on social media and on paper. “The impact”, he said without hesitation. “People think that when they press the like button, comment, or share, that they actually did something, that they made influential action” But what else are we supposed to do? Go to Afghanistan and fight the Taliban? No. What Hamed suggested was instead of pressing like, press your Danish neighbor’s doorbell and tell them what is going on, tell them to stop voting for the same delegates, spread awareness. Many people in Denmark are living only within the virtual borders of their own lives and do not have a clue of what happens around the world. “Knowledge first, action later” advised Hamed eloquently.