Migranti a Palermo: dibattito e teatro al Giardino dei Giusti

Palermo continues to be a national hub for civil rights debates, thanks to a new initiative proposed by Raizes Teatro, Associazione ex Alunni Gonzaga, Centro Astalli, and Alloro Fest. On Sunday, September 10th at 7:30 PM, the Terra project will kick off at Giardino dei Giusti in via Alloro. The project aims to promote solidarity and the values expressed in the Conventions that govern the rights of refugees and human dignity, in order to develop virtuous policies for managing migration flows in collaboration with EU institutions and Mediterranean countries.

The event will begin at 5:00 PM with an exhibition by photojournalist Francesco Malavolta entitled “Faces to the Future”. The exhibition portrays the faces of young refugees, representing their future and emphasizing their right to change their lives, as well as the need to guarantee them the possibility of looking towards a better future. At 7:30 PM, the performance “Discipline Room”, written by Alessandro Ienzi and performed by Francesco Campolo, will take place. Produced by Raizes Teatro with the support of ERSU Palermo, the performance explores the condition of refugees detained in prison during their long journey to freedom. It tells the stories of their limbo, dreams, aspirations, and the often inhumane and degrading treatment they face, as well as the exorbitant sums of money they are forced to pay for their release and to continue their journey.

At 8:15 PM, a debate moderated by journalist Elvira Terranova, head of Adnkronos, will take place. The participants will include Camillo Ripamonti, president of Centro Astalli, Valerio Valenti, extraordinary commissioner for the migration emergency, and Remon Karam, activist and protagonist of “Il mare nasconde le stelle” (“The Sea Conceals the Stars”). “The Terra project combines art, culture, and civic and political debate,” says Ienzi. “It explores the possible approaches to a topic that concerns all of humanity: migration. The journey from one country to another in search of a better life becomes even more relevant when the lives of travelers are endangered by extreme conditions. It concerns all states when travelers have refugee status because they are fleeing from serious human rights violations. The Terra project places Palermo at the center of the Euro-Mediterranean debate through art and culture.”

The project is being proposed in the year of the tenth anniversary of the Lampedusa shipwreck, which occurred on October 3, 2013, and is a follow-up to the presentation of the performance “La Porta della Vita” (“The Door of Life”), written by Francesco Viviano, produced by Raizes, and presented in July by the partners of the Terra project in Palermo.

“The Terra project,” adds Carmelo Cottone of Centro Astalli, “promotes welcoming and defending our foreign brothers and sisters who are fleeing from injustice and war and seeking the support of a country that enables them to express their potential and capabilities in the service of humanity.” The event, which is supported by the Municipality of Palermo, is open to all and admission is free.

Segui Avvisatore su Instagram: @avvisatore.it