Federation of Young European Greens

Every day huge numbers of people leave their well-known surroundings in order to find another place to live. The reasons for migration are as manifold as human beings. Some people have to flee due to political persecution, others in order to escape civil war or violence from state authorities and others just to seek a better life, where they can fulfill their dreams peacefully and express freely their ideas and opinions. And then there are other people who want to choose a new place to live free of any constraints and duties, because they simply like living there. The right to leave your place of residence and settle down somewhere else is a basic human right - migration is not a crime and migrants are no criminals!

But instead of welcoming people in need and appreciating the mobility of people, which increases cultural and linguistical pluralism, European societies have come to demonize migrants and exclude them strategically from social and political participation. The external borders of the European Union are fortified via actors like FRONTEX and inside xenophobia and racism are growing, especially at places where governments establish coercive measures and high barriers for cohesive societies - they divide by rather than unity in diversity.

On 18 December 1990, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and in 2000 they decided to proclaim 18 December as International Migrants Day, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.

On this 18 December 2011 we, the Federation of Young European Greens, want to remind ourselves, friends, families, media and politicians that there is no legitimation to treat migrants as we currently do! We need to stop discriminating practices and approach each other everywhere with mutual respect and the awareness for the equality of all human beings.

Watch the video: http://youtu.be/PxKIQbf3xc8