The organisation, which hosts monthly talks and evenings on policies and matters of human rights, has dedicated this month’s theme to “the rise of the far right and of new nationalisms in Europe”, an issue which FILEF says “is posing a serious threat to the social and civil rights gained after decades of political struggles”.
The organisation cites the widespread fear of diversity and increased xenophobia and homophobia in Europe as evidence of “an aim ... to scapegoat migrants, refugees and other minorities”.
In Italy, the issue is reflected in the passing of the contentious “closed ports” security decree by former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, which banned unauthorised boats from docking at Italian ports, effectively stopping the entry of thousands of refugees and allowing the arrest of NGO-run refugee-assist ships.
Italy’s new government, composed of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), is now making steps toward softening its hardline immigration policy.
The FILEF-run evening will also include an update on the Western Sahara, where on-going conflicts occur alongside a struggle for independence by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, in the aftermath of Morocco’s invasion of the area in 1975.
The evening will be presented by Daniele Fulvi, journalist for Green Left Weekly and for Italian online journal The Vision, PhD student in Philosophy and teaching assistant at Western Sydney University, and Tecber Ahmed Saleh, Western Sahara human rights advocate, who lives and works for the Ministry of Health in the Saharawi refugee camps in south-west Algeria.
Before coming to Australia in 2016, Fulvi studied Philosophy at the University of Florence and was involved in student activism.
FILEF’s information evening will be held in the heart of Little Italy, in the Leichhardt Library Meeting Room in the Italian Forum, Norton Street, at 6:00 pm.
Light refreshments will be served on arrival.
