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Flashmob at EEF in Berlin

category international | public consultation / irish social forum | news report author Friday September 19, 2003 17:16author by EEF mediateam - European Education Forumauthor email info at eef203 dot org

Solidarity action with refugees

In front of the foreign office in Berlin there was a flasmob action during the press conference of the European education ministers. This afternoon there was a solidarity action with protesting refugees in Berlin as well.

Simultaniously with the first block of workshops at the European Education Forum, about 50 people gathered in front of the German foreign office to read a solidarity statement at the manifestation of demonstrating refugees from Congo and Togo. The refugees demonstrated against deportation and military intervention. The police tried to prevent that a statement was made by the people from the EEF but with help from the refugees we succeed to do it anyway.

After that the people of the EEF went to another entrance and did a flasmob action. All had books and magazines with them which they held upside down and tried to read silently. After a few minute they chanted
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Tot ergernis van de aanwezige politie, die dit aanvankelijk wilde verhinderen, wird voorgelezen gingen de aanwezigen naar een andere ingang van het gebouw om daar een kleine aktie uit te voeren. Tijdens deze aktie vond daar de perskonferentie van de Europese minsters van onderwijs plaats.

„We are the ones who are affected by European education policy. We do no longer accept to be excluded from decisions about our future and that of the following generations. We demand a democratic education which is free for everybody and which meets social objectives of society. If you want to take part in the discussions about European education policy, join us at the European Education Forum in the Humboldt University!“.

At the same time the first round of workshops ended and there will be 2 more rounds this afternoon. Tomorrow there will be a demonstration in Berlin which leaves at 1 pm from the main building of the Humboldt university.

Related Link: http://www.eef2003.org

Comments (2 of 2)

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author by cautiouspublication date Fri Sep 19, 2003 22:20author address author phone

Be wary of the flash mob idea, it seems like a lovely marketing experiment to see how easy it is to influence people. One of the originators will only say that he is in the culture industry. If you are doing it, call it something different so they cant claim to have gained currency or idealogical influence with anti establishment/mainstream groups, or give them the idea of appropiating lifestyle choices and categories. Check out the mention of an argentinan jeans ads appropiating imagery and actions, on that there adbusters site.

author by oopspublication date Sat Sep 20, 2003 13:24author address author phone

My mistake,that was Spain not Argentinia, so closer to home, but a bit of an anal post this so i'll stop. Also Adbusters are offline at the moment.


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