KROKODILova inicijativa: Free the Streets/Free the People!

For English scroll down.

Zidovi na ulicama srpskih gradova i varošica već duže vreme predstavljaju poprište obračuna različitih ekstremno desničarskih grupa kao i platforma za promovisanje njima bliskih politika. Rezultat podrške ali i ovakvog nevidljivog uticaja vladajuće političke strukture jeste urbani pejzaž zasićen iscrtanim porukama, šablonima, grafitima i muralima koji direktno izražavaju i pozivaju na mržnju, zlobu, uskogrudost, rasizam, seksizam i generalno šire različite toksične sadržaje stvarajući društvo prepuno nasilja prisutno na svim nivoima, a posebno kod mladih ljudi.

Namera dvogodišnje inicijative nazvane Free the Streets/Free the People jeste da aktivno utiče na izmenu gorepomenute prakse i podigne svest o štetnosti šovinističkog i reduktivnog načina promišljanja prošlosti, sadašnjosti i budućnosti koji je dominantan u javnom prostoru kroz tri glavna pravca aktivnosti:

1.      umrežavanje i inicijative građana intervencijama vizuelne ulične umetnosti, angažovanje  putem uličnih protesta i oko građanske peticije; 

2.      transformacije javnih prostora; 

3.      zagovaranje s kreatorima javnih politika na lokalnom i nacionalnom nivou s ciljem promene legislative po pitanju javnog ispoljavanja govora mržnje.

Svesni smo toga da se mnogi projekti bave sličnim inicijativama ali i da postoje i građani i građanke koji lično žele da se uključe u transformaciju što zvaničnih politika, što samog izgleda uličnih zidova, pa nam je želja da sinergijskim delovanjem postignemo promenu. S tim u vezi na predstojećim sastancima koje planiramo, na debati i konferenciji za štampu, svi zainteresovani će imati priliku da se detaljno upoznaju sa inicijativom i da se priključe radu neke od radnih grupa koje će biti formirane.

English:

KROKODIL initiative: Free the Streets/Free the People!

Street walls in Serbian cities and towns have for a long time been the scene of clashes between various extreme right-wing groups, as well as a platform for promoting policies close to them. The result of the support but also of the undue influence of the ruling political structure is an urban landscape saturated with drawings, graffiti, murals, and other visual messages that directly express and call for hatred, malice, narrow-mindedness, racism, sexism and that generally spread various toxic contents, creating the society full of violence present on all levels, especially among young people.

The objective of the 2 year initiative titled Free the Streets/Free the People is to actively transform the above mentioned tendencies and to raise awareness about harmfulness of chauvinistic and reductive mindsets regarding the past, present and future that are dominant in the public space. We aim to do this by utilizing three main strands of activities:

1.  Networking and citizens initiatives through the visual street art interventions, engagement through street protests and citizen petitions;

2. Transformation of public spaces;

3. Advocacy with policymakers on both local and national level with the aim of changing the legislation regarding the public display of hate speech.

We are aware that many projects deal with similar initiatives, but also that there are citizens who want to get involved personally in the transformation of both official policies as well as street walls appearance, so our wish is to achieve these changes through synergic action. Regarding that, during the upcoming meetings that we are planning, at the debate and at the press conference, everyone who is interested will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves in detail with this initiative but also to join one of the working groups that will be formed.

Free the Streets/Free the People!