From: united@united.non-profit.nl

Dear friends,

We apologise for this long message. As we have had to change the dates for

the conference, we have only a short time to distribute the invitation. We

have decided to send out the full text of the invitation by e-mail as an

exception. We will continue to keep our messages short after this.

Kind regards,

Saskia Daru

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"Europe Without Borders

Joint European Action Against Racism and Fascism"

UNITED-Conference in Potsdam (D) 9-13 June 1999

UNITED, the biggest European anti-racist network of more than 500

organisations, organises a series of conferences in several European

countries to unite and concentrate the anti-racist forces. At one of the

last UNITED Conferences, held in October '98 in Ireland, 74 organisations

from 26 countries met, from Portugal to Russia, from Ireland to Bulgaria.

They exchanged information, trained their skills and they prepared future

campaigns (e.g. arround "Kristallnacht" and the Action Week Against Racism).

Although some borders are erased in Europe, others are erected. Not just

between countries, but also between groups of people. Between those with

papers and those without. Between citizens of EU Member-States and other

Europeans. In the borderland between West and Eastern Europe we will try to

erase some borders of our own.

During this conference we want to get informed on what is happening in the

different countries in Europe, exchange experiences of working against

racism and plan together concrete actions and campaigns. This will be a

working conference. All participants are expected to contribute to the

success of the meeting!

This conference was prepared by: Forschungsstelle Flucht und Migration,

Flüchtlingsrat Brandenburg, Never Again Association, Regionale

Arbeitsstelle Ausländerfragen, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Aktion Sühnezeichen

Friedensdienste, in the framework of the UNITED network.

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TECHNICAL INFO:

WORKING METHODS

plenaries, working groups, political cafés, information market,

intercultural inputsè

PARTICIPANTS

The conference is planned for 70 participants who represent important

(inter)national anti-racist and human rights organisations. Active

grass-roots groups from all over Europe are also invited. Participa-tion is

rotated from one conference to another. Priority will be given to

nominations from black and ethnic minority delegates as well as from young

people. Preference is given to those organisations that take active part in

UNITED campaigns. Participants should act as multipliers, spreading the

information to as many people as possible. We will try to reach an equal

balance of female/male participants and a good geographical distribution.

Each organisation can nominate only one delegate.

LANGUAGES

The conference language is English. But don't worry, English is almost

nobody's mother tongue. If you have difficulties in expressing yourself,

surely we can help each other. But it is impossible to translate the

conference. All participants are expected to have at least basic knowledge

of English.

PARTICIPATION FEE

The participation fee of the conference is DM 150. Participants coming from

Central- and Eastern Europe may ask for reimbursement of (part of) the

participation fee from our Solidarity Fund.

Full board and lodging and the complete program is paid for by the organisers.

CONTRIBUTION TO TRAVEL COSTS

Unfortunately UNITED has only a limited budget to contribute to (esp.

Central- and Eastern European) participants' travel costs. Please try to

find financial support from your own organisation or other organisations

that you can represent at the conference. You can also try for example:

Soros, Member of (European) Parliament or UNHCR.

If you really need financial support from UNITED to enable you to

participate, please indicate on the nomination form why and how much (Max.

500 DM).

The cost of your visa will be reimbursed by UNITED.

DATES / PLACE

The conference will start on Wednesday afternoon (09/06) and will end after

lunch on Sunday (13/06). It will take place in Potsdam (near Berlin).

FURTHER INFORMATION

If your nomination is accepted, all necessary information will be sent

early enough before the activity, e.g. how to get there, a final program,

what to bring, etc.

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PROGRAM

Wednesday

17.00 - 18.00 Meeting of working group leaders

til 19.00 arrival of the participants

19.00 dinner

20.30 "Breaking the Blocks", Social Program, incl. games, music,

drinks...

Thursday

09.00 Welcome, What is UNITED?, Personal introductions

11.15 - 12.30 Presentation:

"How to become a German: the Citizenship Debate in Germany"

Almuth Berger, Ausländerbeauftragte Brandenburg

14.30 - 16.00 Introduction to the program

Discussion groups on the situation in Europe:

- Anti-fascism in Eastern and Western Europe

- The Borders of "Fortress Europe"

- Anti-racist Education

- Inclusion and Exclusion of Migrants and Minorities

16.15-17.30 Continuation of the Discussion Group

17.30 Plenary Reports and Discussion: "Points for the

European-wide Struggle

Against Racism and Fascism"

20.30 Info Market, International Snacks with the participation of

local NGOs

Friday

09.30 - 11.00 Presentation and Debate:

"The Role of the State in Combatting Racist Violence: Does

it Work?"

Bernd Wagner, RAA

Sujata Aurora, CARF

Pavel Kazanecki, IDEE

11.15 - 12.30 Working groups on the morning's presentations

- The case of Germany

- The case of Great-Britain

- The case of Belarus

14.30 - 16.00 Training working groups

- Working with Intergovernmental Structures

- Legal Measures against Racism and Fascism

- Urgent Action: Using Old and New Media

- Support and/or Self-organisation

- Optional Working Group

16.15 - 18.00 Continuation of the Working Groups

19.00 Excursion to local projects and sites, incl. dinner and

social program

Saturday

09.30 - 11.00 Positive Ideas for Campaigning

- "Football Against Racism"

- "Tribunal: Detention of Asylumseekers"

- "Lobby for the Constitution in Poland"

11.15 - 12.30 Campaigning and Action Working Groups

- Anti-fascism / 9 November

- Anti-racism / 21 March

- Refugee Campaign / 16 June

- UN Conference Against Racism

- Optional Working Group

14.30 - 16.00 Continuation of the Working Groups

16.15 - 18.00 Report of the Campaign and Action Working Groups / Discussion

Important Results from Other Working Groups

Open Forum

20.30 Intercultural Evening with the Participation of the

Participants

Farewell Party

Sunday

10.00 - 11.30 Presentation and Debate:

"The Struggle of Illegalised People: Equal Rights for Women"

11.45 - 12.30 Evaluation / Thank You / Good Bye

14.30 Departure

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NOMINATION FORM

Europe Without Borders

UNITED-Conference in Potsdam (D) 9-13 June 1999

If you want to participate in the conference please fill in this nomination

form completely.

If your nomination form arrives at UNITED before 6/5/99, your nomination

will have a higher chance of acceptance.

Organisation:

Organisation address:

Phone:Fax:

Webpage:

E-mail:

Name of delegate:

Date of birth:

Male: Female:

Address to send conference documents:

Special wishes (vegetarian, no pork etc.):

Motivation and aims for participating:

I'm also representing the following organisation(s) (name, address):

For those who have participated before: What did you do with the results

afterwards?:

Do you need financial support from UNITED to your travel costs? Why? How much?

In which 3 working groups would you like to participate the most?

1.

2.

3.

For those who will need a visa

Private address delegate:

Place of birth:

Citizenship:

Number of passport:

Fax nr. German embassy where you apply for your visa:

FAX OR SEND TO:UNITED for Intercultural Action

Postbus 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam

phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582

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UNITED for Intercultural Action

European network against nationalism, racism, fascism

and in support of migrants and refugees

PB 413

NL-1000 AK Amsterdam

phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582

NEW! e-mail united@united.non-profit.nl

NEW! website http://www.united.non-profit.nl

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16 JUNE International Refugee Day!

UNITED has documented 1365 refugee deaths

resulting from 'Fortress Europe'

Ask for the updated list of cases

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