SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTION
AGAINST RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA
Viele kleine Leute, die in vielen kleinen
Orten viele kleine Dinge tun, können das Gesicht der
Welt verändern.
tr: Many small people, who do many small things in many
small places, can change the face of the world.
["Ausländerfeindlichkeit",
Bund der Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder, Asel/Ostfriesland,
December 1992]
And now to work. Against racism and xenophobia, everybody
always has something to do.
[Jean Montenat, seminar leader, "Open Frontiers - Racism,
Xenophobia - the Future?", European Coordination Bureau,
1981]
One of the first thoughts about titles for this section
of ALIEN 93 was to call it "External and Internal Methods
Against Racism and Xenophobia". The essential meaning
of this would be to describe those things which youth organisations
do in the 'outside world' (campaigns, meetings, publications)
and those which take place within the organisation (seminars,
training, reflection). This idea was abandoned because there
is no strict dividing line between youth organisations and
the outside world and because of the recognition that a
combination of political, social and educational responses
are needed to racism and xenophobia. A fair degree of tolerance
and dialogue would seem to be required between people and
organisations involved in this work: sometimes it is easier
to criticise those who have similar goals (but different
strategies), than to concentrate on striving for change.
No-one would pretend that youth organisations have all the
answers, but many of them, co-operating with each other
and making wider alliances, find new answers as they go.
There are many suggestions for action and consideration
in this section. If you find particular ones interesting,
it would be worthwhile to contact the relevant organisation
for more information.
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