Senior volunteers exchanges and the fight against discriminations and racism Grazia Naletto Seven International Meeting Bruxelles October 12th 2010

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism “When the presence of migrants is denied or ignored by host governments, the risk of segmentation is greatly increased, not only in the labour market and economy but also in society more generally.”[ 1] [1] UNDP, Human Development Report 2009, Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development, to be downloaded from: pag.96.[ 1] [1]

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism Senior European exchanges offer to senior generations: new opportunities of active citizenship and the possibility of taking part to the social life after leaving the labour market; to think themselves in an European dimension; to learn new styles of life and cultural habits and traditions of other countries; to gain new competencies in an international context; to enlarge their minds and stimulate their curiosity on different people living in Europe.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism On the other hand senior volunteers exchanges offer to hosting organisations the opportunity to: enrich their competencies and points of view and to learn new working methodologies by the volunteers hosted.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism International volunteers exchanges are very important also for an other reason. I would like to underline the importance of Senior Volunteer European Exchanges in relation with the urgency to fight against the increase of new forms of discriminations, racism and xenophobia in many European countries.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism Europe is facing a process of new cultural, political and social legitimization of discriminations and racism. A wide literature shows the links between mounting racism and the victims’ somatic characteristics, national/ethnic origin, religious belonging, cultural identity, sexual orientation. This is one of the main problems that European society is facing.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism Racism is one of the main barriers to a successful social and cultural inclusion of immigrants and to the building of a world able to respect the cultural diversity and to guarantee the fundamental human rights to all people living in its territory. The global economical crisis is offering a new argument to the implementation of the intolerance against immigrants and individuals belonging to ethnic or cultural minorities. The competition among nationals and foreigners on the welfare system and in the labour market are the main arguments used by nationalist and xenophobic movements and political parties all over in Europe.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism The Undp in its Human Development Report of 2009, speaks about three interlinked types of concern related to migrations spread in the hosting societies. They are related to security and crime, socio-economic factors, and cultural factors. The “crimination” of the immigrants, the thesis of the social and economic unsustainability of the immigration and the theory of cultural incompatibility among nationals and immigrants recurs in the public debate in the south as in the north European countries.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism This trends are very dangerous because contribute to strengthen a cultural and social separation among “us” (nationals) and “them” (immigrants) which involves: - the emergence of competitive attitudes among citizens of local and immigrant origins; - the prevalence of separated relationships systems, mainly based on national or ethnic origins also among youngsters; - the development of new stereotypes and cultural prejudices which increasingly degenerate in acts and behaviours of discrimination, up to racist physical attacks.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism In Italy, for example, Lunaria monitored from January 1st 2007 to July 14th cases of discriminations and racist attacks against immigrants, citizens of immigrant origins or belonging to minorities like Roma people. Among the cases monitored, 225 cases have been physical attacks. 18 immigrants have died because of racist attacks.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism We know that similar trends are developing in many European Countries as the ODHIR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE) has denounced in its last report about hate crimes. Racism is obviously a complex phenomenon that requires crosscutting commitment by local, national and European institutions, media and civil society It requires a better awareness among all social actors.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism In order to prevent further expansion, reverse mainstreaming trends and protect the victims it is urgent: - to raise awareness on the discrimination patterns among European societies; - to identify new strategies to counter the alarming racist tendencies actually developing. We need of multidimensional strategies which should involve a lot of dimensions: Culture Social relationship system Economic politics Political debate Media debate

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism In this context the promotion of international volunteers exchanges is a good practice. It gives a contribution: in improving intercultural relationships; in deconstructing cultural prejudices and stereotypes; in making international senior volunteers “ambassadors” of solidarity and cultural diversity respect both during their volunteerism experience and after their home-coming.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism Working as volunteer in an other country, meeting people who speak a different language, eating different food, playing different games is a way to learn that our “world” and life styles are not the only one possible. In this sense international volunteers exchanges promote an intercultural European society able to support and practice in the daily life the respect for all people living in Europe.

Volunteers exchanges as opportunity to fight against racism It is crucial that civil society organizations promote the value of a peaceful and intercultural society through all their activities. International volunteerism is one of the actions who make this possible thank to its constitutive values like solidarity, active citizenship and intercultural education. For this reason it’s important that actions similar to the activities promoted by Seven network are replied in the future.

Migrazioni e sviluppo Thank you very much for your attention! Grazia Naletto Lunaria