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The bar is open one hour before the program starts. The bar is also open before and after the events.
TUESDAY 06 MAY

Reading: Hanau is everywhere Racism kills - a moving story and a stirring appeal! On 19 February 2020, an assassin murdered nine people in Hanau for racist motives. Gökhan Gültekin was one of them - one of those whom the racist perpetrator could not tolerate in ‘his’ country. Çetin Gültekin tells the touching story of his brother and shows: We are not ‘the others’, we are a part of society.


Registration is necessary (free).


Stellwerk,  Parkterrasse 16 6:30 p.m.  - 8 p.m.



FRIDAY 09 MAY

Solidarity dinner 

Anstadtfrom 6 p.m.

  Serafina Andrew kicks off the Abolish!What does abolitionism mean today - and where does the term come from? The cultural scientist Serafina Andrew opens Abolish with an impulse on the history and present of abolitionist thinking. Drawing on Stuart Hall's theory of political representation, she links historical struggles with current issues of visibility, belonging and digital images of resistance. Her research on biracial identities and Black cultural spaces opens up a space for new perspectives on ambivalence and radical recognition.
Vakuum, Anstadt
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.





SATURDAY 10 MAY

Children's book presentation ‘How many sleeps to safety’ with NekaneBased on the story of Nekane Txapartegi and her daughter, the picture book ‘Wie viel mal schlafen’ tells the story of the relationship between a girl and her imprisoned mother, a Basque political prisoner. The book tells the story in letters of a mother and her daughter who have managed to stay close despite the prison walls. The activist and author Nekane Txapartegi organises the interactive reading for children and adults and conveys a resistant story with a feminist perspective.
Vakuum, Anstadt1 p.m. - 2  p.m.

with childcare


Discussion workshop: Abolish BordersNation-state borders are the product of a process of imperial conquest. Racist fictions legitimised the expulsion of indigenous populations and the violent appropriation of land. The consequences of this process are border regimes: walls, fences, barbed wire, identity checks, camps, deportation and the death of disenfranchised people. Abolitionist perspectives are directed against state borders and their inherent violence. At the same time, however, they also seek approaches to social transformation. The resulting practice ranges from sabotage of the isolationist infrastructure to solidarity work and civil disobedience to the formation of transnational communities and relationships. In this workshop, we want to discuss the extent to which abolitionist perspectives on border structures are important today. What lived forms of borderless solidarity can we already find today within our realities, our social environment, our city? Can transnational networks such as the Alarmphone and local concepts such as Solidarity City be seen as abolitionist approaches to social transformation? All people who are motivated to challenge oppressive border structures and the resulting violence in a variety of ways are invited to a joint discussion.
Kleine Halle, Anstadt2:30  p.m. - 4 p.m.


with childcare


Abolish the Racist, Capitalist, Cis-Hetero Patriarchy –
Self-defence as a perspective
Convinced that we must fight state violence (police, prisons, borders, etc.) and patriarchal violence together, in this public panel discussion we will talk about self-defence as a perspective against a violent system. Why are police, surveillance and prisons not a solution for overcoming patriarchal violence? How is patriarchal violence connected to other violent structures? What does self-defence mean and which population groups are granted or denied it? Why is self-defence one of the only means against patriarchal violence? How can we collectively defend ourselves? We will explore these and other questions together from an intersectional perspective and call for the decriminalisation of (queerfeminist) self-defence and the right to life for all!
KRK-Halle, Anstadt4:30  p.m. - 6 p.m.


with childcare


Solidarity dinner  Anstadtfrom 6 p.m.
Film and Podium “No Apologies
Structural racism is an inseparable part of the police force. Racial profiling destroys lives, racist police violence often ends fatally - for example for Mike Ben Peter, who was murdered by the Lausanne police in 2018. But even if racial profiling does not end fatally, it has an enormous impact on the lives of BPoC. This is shown in the film “No Apologies” (2019, 50 minutes) made by and with friends of Mike Ben Peter. The documentary shows how the constant threat of police checks affects the lives of Black people in Switzerland - and how resistant, solidarity-based structures can help to counter this. The subsequent panel discussion will also focus on racial profiling and abolitionist resistance to it.
KRK-Halle, Anstadt8 p.m. - 10 p.m.


SUNDAY 11 MAY


Abolitionist Perspectives on HealthThe workshop offers a joint examination of our learnt Western European understanding of health. We want to deconstruct our values, knowledge systems and thought/feeling structures, which are permeated by colonial, capitalist and ableist logics. Together we want to utopianise other health (systems). The workshop is organised by Gesundheitskollektiv (GeKo), lasts approx. 4 hours and also includes body- and emotion-related approaches. With registration (geko@immerda.ch) , max. 15 people. 2-6 pm in the vacuum.


The event is fully booked, there is a waiting list.

Vakuum, Anstadt2 p.m. - 6 p.m.


Workshop: Restorative Justice: mediation instead of incarceration

An insight into restorative justice based on historical and contemporary examples with a special focus on the Swiss penal system. Instead of relying purely on punishment and imprisonment, this approach focuses on alternative forms of conflict resolution. The focus is on mediation, reparation and active responsibility of the person who perpetrated the violence towards the person affected, as well as collective acceptance of responsibility. Concepts such as peace circles and transformative justice show how it is possible to restore social harmony and break new ground in criminal law. What are the historical roots of this idea? How is it being implemented today in different countries - especially in Switzerland? And what opportunities does it offer for a future without penalties and prison?
KRK-Halle, Anstadt3 p.m. - 5 p.m.



with childcare


TUESDAY 13. MAI




The Prisons in Twelve Landscapes
Movie and discussion with snacks and tea
There are currently more people in prison in the United States than ever before in history, but prison itself has never been as invisible as it is today. The Prison in Twelve Landscapes is a movie about prison in which not a single prison building is seen. Instead, the film unfolds over a journey through twelve landscapes in the USA where the prison system has an impact on life - without being directly visible. From a California mountainside where prisoners fight fires, to towns where the prospect of a prison job inspires hope, to an Appalachian neighborhood economically defined by the prison system, the film shows how the prison system has an impact beyond its walls - and how the future relies on the promise of prison jobs.
Anstadt


18:30 - 21:00 Uhr



THURSDAY 15 MAY

Abolitionist bike tour (meeting point Hirschengraben)
Abolitionist bike tour

Together we will cycle to places that we want to abolish. And we will visit places where emancipative alternatives are being built.PS: This is not a demo. It's about critical education. 


Meeting point at Hirschengraben
5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.


FRIDAY 16 MAY

Borders and freedom of movement
with Fabian Georgi

For decades, the EU has been sealing itself off from refugees and migrants with increasing severity. Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives as a result of these policies, and countless more are deprived of their rights, criminalised and dehumanised every day. While acts of brutality still shock and outrage many people, the underlying policies are regularly confirmed by broad sections of the (voting) population. The proposals to tighten them have long since ceased to come only from the far right, but extend far into the political ‘centre’. What is an abolitionist counter-position to this politics of death? What are the conditions and consequences of a politics of freedom of movement? We discuss these and other questions with Fabian Georgi, author of the recently published book ‘Borders and Freedom of Movement - a critical introduction’. Based on the role of borders in capitalism and a materialist ethics of migration, he deals with the problems and challenges of the concrete utopia of open borders.

KRK-Halle, Anstadt
6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Seebrücke Schweiz: Escaping is not a crimeThousands of refugees are currently being sentenced to draconian prison terms of 100 years or more in Greece. Their trials last an average of 38 minutes and end for the defendants with an average of 46 years in prison. The official charge is “aiding and abetting illegal border crossings”. But fleeing is not a crime!
The workshop organized by Seebrücke Schweiz and #FreeHomayoun
- provides an up-to-date overview of the criminalization of refugees.
- places the proceedings in the context of European isolationist policies.
- seeks perspectives for action in dealing with this criminalization.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

KRK-Halle, Anstadt
6 - 7.30 p.m.



Solidarity dinner
Anstadtfrom 8 p.m. 

Movie: “Shadow Game”

Europe's border regime is racist and brutal. The film Shadow Game (2021, 90 min) shows what it means for people to cross these militarised strongholds. The documentary follows several teenagers on their escape to Europe. The protagonists filmed most of the footage themselves.Anstadt 9 p.m.

Akkuflexx
Concert after the movie “Grenzregime”Anstadt


SATURDAY 17 MAY

(Pre-)judgement ‘terrorist’ - Swiss narrativesThe input deals with the prejudice and judgement and thus the categorisation of certain people as ‘terrorists’. Using various examples, we will look at the construction and application of the term ‘terrorist’ in Switzerland. We discuss the introduction of the prevention-focused PMT (Police Measures to Combat Terrorism), address the conflation of the categories ‘terrorist’, ‘migrant’, ‘criminal’ and talk about the instrumentalisation of “security” and ‘need for protection’. We argue that ‘security’ is based on the demarcation between a (national, white) “us” and (dangerous, foreign/non-white and often also male) ‘others’. This demarcation and its instrumentalisation for police and state work functions with historical and racist ideas of guilt and innocence.Vakuum, Anstadt1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.


with childcare


Daniel Loick: The superiority of the inferior: A Theory of Counter-Communities    


Daniel Loick will join us via video link.  
From the perspective of oppressed groups, the lives of the rich and powerful are not necessarily desirable; indeed, they often appear ignorant, corrupt, ugly or sad. People whose lives are characterised by experiences of violence and suffering, on the other hand, often have access to epistemic insights, ethical attitudes and aesthetic expressions that privileged subjects lack. Whether they can tap into these resources, however, depends on certain collective practices: on whether they are members of counter-communities. Liberation can therefore never come about through inclusion or integration into dominant institutions. Rather, the struggle for liberation is a struggle for abolition.
KRK-Halle, Anstadt
4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.


with childcare

Solidarity dinner

Anstadtfrom 6 p.m.

Soliparty

Kleine Halle, Anstadtfrom 9 p.m.

TUESDAY 20 MAY
Ciné Réstistance: The Palestinian Cause

We will be showing Louis Theroux's The Settlers, a 2025 documentary about illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as well as the Israeli movement to settle the Gaza Strip amidst the ongoing genocide. The film features interviews with Palestinians as well as illegal settlers and leaders.

Ciné Résistance aims to provide a safer space where people can come together, watch a film, talk and share thoughts or simply be informed and inspired. We encourage all SWANA people and allies to join.

The doors will open at 7 and the film will be screened at 8. Mezze will be provided.

The movie will have German and English subtitles.
Anstadtfrom 7 p.m.

THURSDAY 22. MAI


Film evening ‘No Fire Zone’ and internationalist panel discussion



18 May marks the 16th anniversary of the massacre of the Tamil population. The images from Gaza are currently reopening many old wounds of our Tamil friends. The parallels between the ‘Tamil Solution’ and the genocide in Palestine, as well as the treatment of the Kurds in Turkey, are immense.
Even if these three struggles differ in certain ways, they have one thing in common: the struggle for their own existence and for international solidarity.
On Thursday, 22 May from 18:30 in the Intransformation Space, we will be watching the film ‘No Fire Zone’, which documents the deadliest final phase of the Sri Lankan civil war.
In a subsequent panel discussion with voices from the Tamil, Palestinian and Kurdish solidarity movements, we will discuss the current context and the links between the struggles

Intransformation Space,
Bollwerk 39/41, 3011 Bern
6.30 p.m.





FRIDAY 23 MAY


Solidarity dinner Injera

Anstadtfrom 6 p.m.

Vanessa Thompson: Urban abolitionist practice and its history

Vanessa Thompson talks about the origins of abolitionism - but above all about abolitionist practice today - in Paris, Berlin, Brazil and Bern.

KRK-Halle, Anstadt 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

svmthoX

“You can call me Sam”

svmthoX is a versatile artist and rapper from Basel. Her music, which she describes as “(T)Rap Soul”, is characterized by socially critical lyrics in five languages and is reminiscent of influences from Miss Lauryn Hill, Wu-Tang Clan and NER*D. She began her public musical career as a back-up for Basel rapper Skinny Fresh.

In 2018, they toured Europe together with Delinquent Habits and opened their shows. svmthoX has been active as a solo artist since 2020 and released her first EP in summer 2022.

She has already collaborated with artists such as Samora, Skinny Fresh, dudette, UNIFINITY and Adrian Sieber, creating tracks that impressively demonstrate her artistic range.

Over the course of her career, she has performed as a support act for renowned artists such as Slum Village, Afrob, BlabberMouf and Planet Asia. She made particularly notable appearances as the support act for KT Gorique at the Kaserne Basel in September 2023 and at the Feminist Strike 2024 on the Bundesplatz in Bern, where she performed her song Every Woman. She also took part in the SRF reality show “Battle Mansion” as part of Pablo Rasputin's team and won the 4th season with him.
In interviews, she emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-discovery in her music and speaks openly about her experiences as a Black woman in the Swiss cultural scene.

svmthoX actively campaigns for social issues and uses her music as a platform to draw attention to grievances. With her energetic stage presence and profound lyrics, she has earned herself a firm place in the Swiss hip-hop scene.

svmthoX - A voice for all those who have been silenced

Anstadtfrom 10 p.m.
SATURDAY 24 MAY

***CANCELLED***
Reading afternoon

(instead, we will go to the demonstration on Bern's Bundesplatz at 2 p.m. to protest against deportations to Croatia – come along and join us!)
1.30 p.m. - 3 p.m.


***CANCELLED***
Let's Spill the Tea: Guided gossip session à la queer feminism

(instead, we will go to the demonstration at Bern's Bahnhofplatz at 3 p.m. to protest against the genocide in Palestine – come along!)

3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.




Is all we have each other? - Strategy workshop on abolitionist support systems

with Cuso from the podcast “Hast du Alles?”
Central to abolitionism is the simultaneity of people withdrawing from systems of over-exploitation, taking action against them and at the same time building solidary modes of production and relationships. Collectives often ask themselves the question: isn't the work we do actually work that the state should be doing? Abolitionists draw our attention to the fact that abolitionism must aim to utilise the resources of the wider community for the wider community. But how, when community resources are distributed by the state, which is also repressive and carceral? In this workshop on abolitionist strategies, we ask ourselves when solidarity practices are destabilising for systems of exploitation and to what extent they relieve state structures. We will focus on the addressing/non-addressing of state and municipal structures. To this end, we will look at the basics of abolitionist campaigning strategies, discuss community capitalism and learn together who we want to address with our work and when.
KRK-Halle, Anstadt6 p.m. - 8 p.m.


Solidarity dinner

Anstadtfrom 8 p.m.


Idru and Miles
ConcertKRK Clubfrom 9 p.m.



SUNDAY 25 MAY


Brunch bufet Eat together, spend time together and round off the last day of the event series. It is also possible to come later and leave earlier, the buffet does not start together.Anstadt11:00 - 13:30 


“Cecosesola” living the alternativeCecosesola operates on a grassroots democratic basis and consists of 50 grassroots organizations with a total of 20,000 members. Over the past 56 years, they have managed to establish a more social economic system, with various provident funds and savings banks as well as jobs and a self-managed hospital.
This enables people in the Lara region to have access to healthcare, regular income and food, which is very important in the precarious conditions in Venezuela. 

The cooperative runs three large weekly markets where food is sold to around 55,000 families per week at low prices. Cecosesola also includes 200 small farms and production cooperatives that produce food to sell at the weekly markets. 

Two Companer@s who are very knowledgeable and have been involved in the organization for a long time will talk and be open for exchange and questions. 
For more information check out their website:
https://cecosesola.org/
Vakuum, Anstadt 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.



Closing plenary session We want to exchange views on what we have heard, on the events, but also on our experiences in activist work. We pick up on topics that have reached us via the feedback letterbox.
KRK-Halle, Anstadt1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.