This year's edition of the cross-disciplinary art festival Culturescapes is dedicated to the theme of Sahara. With several film evenings, discussion rounds and a city tour terre des hommes switzerland puts the Western Sahara in the spotlight.
In this year's edition of the art festival Culturescapes, terre des hommes switzerland is participating as a partner on Western Sahara. This against the background that the Western Sahara is a program country of ours. Western Sahara is located south of Morocco. It was occupied by Morocco by force about 45 years ago and since then it is considered as the last unresolved colonial conflict in Africa.
Culturescapes takes place every two years in October and November, mainly in Basel, but also in other Swiss cities. At the current edition, we are present at three public film evenings followed by discussion rounds: October 17, 2023, 7:30 pm, the Stadtkino Basel shows the two short films "3 Stolen Cameras" and "Skeikima" in the presence of Mohamed Mayara. The journalist and human rights activist lives in the occupied Western Sahara and is committed to making human rights violations by the Moroccan state visible. Following the films, he will discuss with Sylvia Valentin (development policy campaigns at terre des hommes switzerland) under the moderation of Judith Huber (SRF). "Western Sahara is complicated," says Sylvia Valentin. "The films give a good insight into the difficult life there."
At November 16 and 17, 2023, both at 9 p.m., shows the new cinema Short films from Mohamed Sleiman Labat. Moderated by Annette Mokler (Development Policy, Program Coordination Western Sahara at terre des hommes switzerland), there will also be discussion sessions afterwards. As an artist in the refugee camps, Mohamed Sleiman Labat also knows the difficult life in Western Sahara, but also the creativity that is developed there. "He also has an interest in ecological issues," says Sylvia Valentin.
terre des hommes switzerland is also participating in the city walk Basel Colonial on October 22, 2023, 11 am and 2:30 pm, with a station on the topic of Western Sahara. Here, too, the artist Mohamed Sleiman Labat will be present.
Engagement in the Sahrawi refugee camp
terre des hommes switzerland is currently supporting a youth project in the refugee camps: Since 1975, around 174,000 Sahrawi refugees have been living in camps near the Algerian city of Tindouf. They fled Western Sahara when the territory was occupied by Morocco and are now waiting for a referendum promised in 1991. Together with our partner organization UJSARIO Smara, we organize recreational courses, promote open youth work and strengthen t the cultural identity of the Sahrawi youth. Living conditions in the desert region are inhospitable and the future of the Sahrawis remains uncertain. The young people in the refugee camps in particular lack prospects.
In addition, we use information and lobbying activities to ensure that the situation of the Sahrawis is not forgotten and that the international community meets its obligations. We support the Sahrawis in their peaceful struggle for the right to self-determination and remind political and economic actors to comply with international law - all with the aim of offering young people prospects.
