From June 20 to 21, various groups will gather at Spore to discuss their work which aims to combat the exploitation of migrant labor and promote fair working conditions.

Participants in this Community Exchange weekend include the Association A4, which advocates in France for people with and without papers to engage in self-determined work in agriculture and crafts; the Sfrutta Zero project from southern Italy, which brings together migrants and non-migrants to produce exploitation-free tomato sauce;​​​​​​​ TopManta, a solidarity-based fashion brand founded by the street vendors’ union in Barcelona,​​​​​​​ Goundo Kamissoko Niakhaté, co-founder of the Somankidi agricultural cooperative near Kayes and president of the Federation of Rural Women of Mali (FENAFER), as well as BIPOC agricultural initiatives from Brandenburg and organized food delivery workers from Berlin.

While tens of thousands of migrants in Europe continue to work under exploitative, sometimes slave-like conditions—without rights, exposed to sexual violence, and with inadequate protection against accidents and poisoning—this weekend will bring together practitioners, farmers, advocates, and initiatives from the agricultural sector and related fields to focus on approaches to self-determination. They will exchange experiences and knowledge regarding the economic independence of migrant labor, diasporic support structures, and emancipatory forms of solidarity.

The weekend will begin with a public conversation among representatives of the visiting groups, followed by a screening of the film Xaraasi Xanne (Crossing Voices) about the farming cooperative Somankidi Coura, founded by West African migrant workers. Saturday will be dedicated to an exchange between the visiting groups. On Sunday, the day of the summer solstice, we invite everyone interested to join us for a convivial day of exchange, workshops, shared food, and stories.

Saturday, June 20

5:30 – 6:30 pm

Conversation with Association A4 and Goundo Kamissoko, protagonist of the film Xaraasi Xanne, co-founder of the co-op Somankidi Coura and president of the FENAFER in Mali

 

6:45 – 8:45 pm

Film: Xaraasi Xanne (Crossing Voices), a film by Raphaël Grisey & Bouba Touré

Using rare cinematic, photographic and sound archives, Xaraasi Xanne (Crossing Voices) recounts the exemplary adventure of Somankidi Coura, an agricultural cooperative, created in Mali in 1977 by western African immigrant workers, living in workers’ housings in France. The story of this improbable, Pan-African return to the homeland follows a winding path that travels through the ecological challenges and conflicts on the African and European continent from the 1970s to the present day. More information here.
8:45 – 9:15 pm

Closing Round

 

 

Sunday, June 21

2:00 – 10:00 pm

Public Day with:

 

2:00 – 3:00 pm

Public presentation by associationA4, Projekt SfruttaZero, TopManta and other contributing initiatives.

 

3:15 – 7:00 pm

Public workshops by the various contributing groups and joint presentation of the workshop results.

 

7:00 – 10:00 pm

Collective dinner, cooked by Antifacists Curries.

 

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