Timeline
An end that is a beginning: Snapshots has accomplished its goals and leaves it to Border Towns and Islands Network to move forward to make border communities a voice to be heard
2021
14-15 October 2021 Field Visit in Lesvos
3 October 2021 Evento finale di progetto
9-10 September 2021 Field Visit in Bosnia-Erzegovina
From 9 to 11 September, in Sarajevo to carry out a field visit by a delegation of the project partners. The organisational efforts of the Snapshots partners ISCOMET and ALDA Mostar were essential for the success of the visit to Bosnia. The Snapshots delegation first took part in an initiative of the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Sarajevo, entitled “Exchange of relevant information on Bosnia and Herzegovina with emphasis on the ways and means of managing migration problems”, and then to a visit to the Blazuj center for migrants.
9 July 2021 Carta di Teramo
The Church of Teramo-Atri, in communion with the Church of Agrigento, presented in an event the “Teramo Charter”, a document on equal cooperation for development in Africa, signed on 22 June 2019 following the Conference of African Rectors held at the Gran Sasso International Forum.
A conference on the challenges of cooperation for development in Africa, organised by the two dioceses together with the University of Teramo, the municipalities of Teramo and Lampedusa, and in collaboration with the Snapshots from the Borders project, was held on Lampedusa, an island symbolic of the reception of migrants.
5 March 2021 SnapShots visit to the President of the European Parliament
5 marzo 2021
The Mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa Totò Martello was received in Brussels by the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli. During the meeting several topics were discussed: from the commitment of Lampedusa on the reception front to issues relating to the world of fishing and the local economy, to the objectives of the European project “Snapshots from the borders” which sees the municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa as the lead agency and brings together 19 border territories of 16 European countries. At the end of the meeting, Mayor Martello gave President Sassoli a T-shirt with his hashtag, #iosonopescatore.
11 February 2021 Webinar Uganda
11 febbrario 2021
Issues and initiatives related to health during the Covid19 pandemic and the impact of this pandemic on both citizens and refugees: this was the topic of an online meeting – it being impossible to organize the field visit – organized by Sudwind as part of the SnapShots project, which was attended by Dr. Patrick Kagurusi, Country Director and Head of Programmes of Amref Uganda Health, Dr. Danuta Katharina Nosal, Head of Finance and Controlling at Südwind, Austria and Dr. David Apollo Kazungu, Commissioner for Refugees for the Ugandan Prime Minister’s Office, as well as Minister for Refugee Relief.
This webinar was the first in a series of three, held in July and September talking about Ethiopia and Lesbos respectively
Questioni e iniziative legate alla salute durante la pandemia di Covid19 e l’impatto di questa pandemia sia sui cittadini che sui rifugiati: questo è stato il tema di un incontro online – essendo impossibile organizzare la visita sul campo – organizzato da Sudwind nell’ambito del progetto SnapShots, a cui hanno partecipato il dott. Patrick Kagurusi, Country Director e Head of Programmes di Amref Uganda Health, la dott.ssa Danuta Katharina Nosal, Head of Finance and Controlling di Südwind, Austria e il dott. David Apollo Kazungu, Commissario per i rifugiati dell’Ufficio del Primo Ministro ugandese, nonché Ministro per gli aiuti ai rifugiati.
Questo webinar è stato il primo di una serie di tre, tenuti a luglio e a settembre e dedicati rispettivamente all’Etiopia e a Lesbo.
2020
20 November 2020 Mediterranean Award
20 novembre 2020
The juries of the “Mediterranean Award” met on 3 October in Lampedusa for the awarding of the Mediterranean Institutions Award, received by the Mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa, Salvatore Martello, as “recognition of the Lampedusian people’s capacity to welcome, support and integrate migrants, which has always been evident even in tragic situations”.
10 September 2020 Private Hearing with Pope Francis
A delegation of local authorities partnering in the SnapShots From The Borders project, led by the mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa, Salvatore Martello, received a private audience with Pope Francis I at the Vatican. The delegation, composed by Andrej Kavšek for Crnomelj (Slovenia), Saša Arsenovič for Maribor (Slovenia), Josef Azzopardi for Marsa (Malta),
Matteo Ricci for Pesaro (Italy), Martial Beyaert for Grande-Synthe (France),
Andreas Babler for Traiskirchen (Austria) and Johann Lappi for Straß in Steiermark (Austria), presented the objectives of the project to the Holy Father, who stressed the principles of hospitality and humanity in his speech.
22 January 2020 Global Forum in Quito
The 12th Global Forum on Migration and Development, the international forum promoted by the United Nations Organization on “migration and development” is being held in Ecuador, in Quito from January 20 to 24. The first citizen of Lampedusa and Linosa, Salvatore Martello, was the only Italian mayor to participate and presented the project SnapShots From The Borders and the Border Towns and Island Network (BTIN).
2019
18-19 December 2019 BTIN foundation in Marsa
Seven European cities at the heart of the migration phenomenon formed the Border Towns and Islands Network (BTIN). The founding members are: the island of Lampedusa (Italy), the local council of Marsa (Malta), Agios Athanasios (Cyprus), Grande-Synthe (France), Pesaro (Italy), Siklósnagyfalu (Hungary), and Strass in Steiermark (Austria).
The network was founded on the initiative of the City of Lampedusa and Linosa, which is also the coordinator of the project Snapshots from the Borders, in which the local constituent members are partners.
Its goal is to promote collaborate and reciprocal support among border cities and islands to give voice to national, European, and international decision-making institutions. The network will focus on questions related to solidarity among cities and countries, the needs of local communities and citizens, more efficient ways to provide migrant reception, collaboration to increase shared European responsibility and that of member states, development cooperation, and peace and dialogue among local authorities.
Its actions include online networking and exchanging of best practices; shared communication activities that increase the voices from the borders; and shared educational approaches for local communities, aimed both at local residents as well as migrants.
Starting in 2020, the network will welcome new members, with the goal of strengthening collaboration between local authorities and their voice in the face of national and European institutions.
3 October 2019 The second commemoration
The second commemoration of the 2013 shipwreck since the project began is held in Lampedusa. A series of events and Italian and international guests pay tribute to the victims, while the laying of the monument that remembers – name by name – the victims of 2013 takes place.
Memorial unveiling
3 October 2019 Capital Events all over Europe
On the sixth anniversary of the 2013 shipwreck, “Snapshots from the Borders”, organises and promotes a series of initiatives to remember this dramatic episode and to honour the memory of the victims.
In addition to the initiatives that will take place in Lampedusa and Palermo, events have been organised in 30 European capitals and cities.
Cultural events, documentaries, debates, exhibitions, flash-mobs, concerts, to raise awareness on the different issues and aspects related to migration and to support the petition that aims to ask EU institutions to proclaim October 3rd the “European Day of Remembrance and Welcome”.
Demonstrations are held in: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Athens (Greece), Berlin (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia), Brussels (Belgium), Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Helsinki (Finland), Valletta (Malta), Lisbon (Portugal), London (United Kingdom), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Madrid (Spain), , Paris (France), Prague (Czech Republic), Riga (Latvia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Stockholm (Sweden), Tallinn (Estonia), Warsaw (Poland), Vienna (Austria), Vilnius (Lithuania), Zagreb (Croatia). These capitals are joined by Agios Athanasios (Cyprus), Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Lampedusa and Palermo (Italy).
3 – 5 August 2019 International Documentary Festival Lampedusa
Lampedusa is hosting the first edition of the International Documentary Festival, with the finalist works narrating the contemporary migration phenomenon with a documentary look. The festival is organised by Amref Health Africa, the Municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa, FilmAffair, as part of the “Snapshots From The Borders” project and takes place on the Sicilian island, which has become a symbol of the migrants’ odyssey to reach Europe from Africa.
Summer 2019 Launch of the petition
The official launch of the petition, part of the SnapShots From The Borders project: Making 3 October the European Day of Remembrance and Welcoming and ensuring that migration policies keep humanity and solidarity at their core, promoting shared responsibility across Europe. 3 October is chosen as a symbolic date, commemorating the day in 2013 when 368 children, women and men lost their lives in a shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa.
19 June 2019 European Development Days, Bruxelles
As part of the international discussion in Brussels on ongoing projects, the SnapShots From The Borders team had the opportunity to present its activities: the No More Bricks in the Wall campaign, which informs European citizens about migration as a complex and multidimensional phenomenon and a political issue that requires efforts and concrete actions from individuals and organisations/networks at all levels of society;
the petition: Making 3 October the European Day of Remembrance and Reception, after a law was passed by the Italian Parliament in 2016 to establish the Day of Remembrance and Reception as well as the project research coordinated by Amanda da Silva and Carlo De Marco ‘Migration at the borders: Global report of the participative investigation on migration in 20 border territories in Europe’.
14-16 giugno 2019 Amref delegation visit to Lampedusa
A delegation from Amref Health Africa, the largest African health organisation working on the continent, has reached Lampedusa for a visit to the island that is the main landing point in the migrant routes from Africa to Europe. The initiative aims to symbolically unite the two shores and show the representatives of the largest non-profit organisation working in the field of health in Africa the places that most represent the hopes and dramas linked to the journey of thousands of Africans who leave their land in search of better living conditions. Among the members of the Amref delegation were Githinji Gitahi, Global Ceo of Amref Health Africa, the Directors of Amref Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Italy.
4 April 2019 Meeting in the European Parliament
All border cities and islands partners of the Snapshots from the Borders project met in Brussels to present Snapshots and all its partners to the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani.
This network wants to reconnect with the founding values of the European Union and aims to develop dialogue between peoples inside and outside Europe, building bridges rather than walls. The mayor of Lampedusa and Linosa, Salvatore Martello, also pointed out that one of the main activities of the project will be the campaign “No More Bricks in the Wall” which will be based on three key messages: sharing responsibilities, remaining human and being part of a solidarity movement.
21 March 2019 Global Compact in Comune
The mayor of Lampedusa, Salvatore Martello, meets the mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola: the two institutions sign an agreement on the reception of the guidelines of the Global Compact, the UN document for the management of migratory flows
2018
10-12 December 2018 Meeting Traiskirchen
In Vienna and Traiskirchen, the coordination summit of all stakeholders involved in the SnapShots From The Borders project takes place: working groups and partners align on advocacy, communication and content
8 December 2018 Forum Marrakech
Martello was the only Italian mayor to intervene during the work of the Forum, and he relaunched the proposal to establish October 3 (the day on which, in 2013, more than 360 migrants died in front of Lampedusa) as the “European Day of Remembrance and Reception”.
“Lampedusa has always guaranteed reception to migrants and is continuing to do so today, but it cannot be left alone! Border territories have specific needs and must be supported: it’s necessary to build a ‘NETWORK’ between municipalities and local authorities engaged on the same front”.
3 October 2018 The first commemoration
The first commemoration ceremony – for the SnapShots project – of the shipwreck of 3 October 2013 is held in Lampedusa, which is the founding event of the project, for a new governance of migrations and a new narrative on migrants
9-12 May 2018 Kick-off Meeting
The kick-off meeting of SnapShots From The Borders, a three-year project co-funded by the European Union (EuropeAid DEAR budget line) and run by 35 partners, border local authorities and civil society organisations. Its objectives: to improve the understanding of European, national and local decision-makers and public opinion on the global interdependencies that determine migration flows towards European borders, with a view to achieving the SDGs; to implement a bottom-up approach in terms of capacity building, advocacy and network building; and to contribute to a new European narrativethat re-localizes the development discourse in the Mediterranean and other European borders.
2013
3 October 2013 The shipwreck
368
368 persons, mostly from Eritrea, died half a mile from Conigli beach on the island of Lampedusa when the boat carrying them from Libya to Italy sank. Among them were many women and children.