Build Bridges, not Walls! *Veranstaltungsreihe*

In the organizer's words:

While war breaks out in Israel, Afghanistan is rocked by a major earthquake and the number of drowned and missing people in the Mediterranean is increasing, European policy is moving ever further to the right. With the so-called reform of the Common European Asylum System, or CEAS for short, the EU wants to legalize the detention of people in camps at the EU's external borders and simplify the deportation of people to countries where they face discrimination and persecution. Together, we, Seebrücke Köln, Sea-Eye Köln and the motoki collective, are taking a firm stand against this inhumane policy.

With our event series "Build Bridges not Walls", we are drawing attention to the catastrophic situation at the EU's external borders and looking at Afghanistan two years after the Taliban seized power.

Accompanying this, the photo exhibition "Women between everyday life and the Taliban: Afghanistan in pictures" by Alea Horst will be on display at motoki from November 7 to December 12.

07.11. - 12.12. Women between everyday life and the Taliban: Afghanistan in pictures
Photo exhibition by Alea Horst

The exhibition will be accompanied by various events on the subject of flight and Alea Horst herself will be a guest at motoki on the last day of the exhibition, on 12.12.2023, to report on her impressions

07.11. | 19:00 - 21:30 (admission 18:30) Film evening "Route 4 "
Our series of events will kick off on 07.11.2023 at 19:00 with a screening of "Route 4- a dreadful Journey", which deals with the journey of refugees from Africa through the hell of Libya across the Mediterranean. There will be an opportunity to talk to a Sea Eye crew member and ask questions

21.11. | 19:00 - 21:00 (admission 18:30) Solo concert
Piano music by Max Freytag + lecture by Seebrücke Köln

A reform of the asylum system has therefore been under discussion for many years. On June 8, 2023, the EU Council was able to agree on key elements of a reform. What do the reforms mean for people seeking asylum in Europe? Seebrücke Köln provides information on the current status. The exhibition will be accompanied by Alea Horst and the lecture by Max Freytag. Max has been publishing self-composed piano music for 10 years, combining neo-classical, pop and jazz.

06.12. | 19:00 - 21:00 (admission 18:30) Reading and Q&A session with Shikiba Babori
The ethnologist and freelance journalist Shikiba Babori was born in Kabul and came to Germany with her family at the age of thirteen at the end of the 1970s. In her book "Die Afghaninnen - Spielball der Weltpolitik", Babori describes the role of women in Afghan society in the past and present and how their supposed liberation has repeatedly been used as a justification for wars. Why, according to Babori, this goal was doomed to failure from the outset and how courageous women nevertheless continued to fight for their rights are just some of the topics we will be discussing with Shikiba Babori on December 6.

12.12. | 19:00 - 21:00 (The exhibition can be viewed from 11 a.m.)
To conclude the "Build Bridges, not Walls!" series of events, we will be talking to photographer Alea Horst: with her pictures, the artist shows a very personal perspective and at the same time provides an insight into everyday life in Afghanistan . Alea Horst herself will be a guest at motoki on the last day of the exhibition together with activist Moschda Ebrahimi from Afghanistannotsafe. The two of them will talk about the everyday lives of people and especially women under the Taliban. Both will share their personal experiences with us and present their voluntary work.

The exhibition can be visited every Monday from 18:30 to 21:30 and of course during the events. Here are the dates in detail:

• on 7.11. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 13.11. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 20.11. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 21.11. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 26.11. from 14:00 - 18:00
• on 27.11. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 04.12. from 18:30 - 21:30
• on 11.12. from 18:30 - 21:00
• on 12.12. from 11:00 - 21:30