New edition of the programme "We have rights, we weave freedoms": commitment to refugees and to environmental challenges

| Subject: International Cooperation

The AMB Area for International Relations and Cooperation is implementing the second edition of the "We have rights, we weave freedoms" programme, which aims to raise awareness and to promote human rights defence from the metropolitan municipalities, voicing the commitment towards refugees from a local sphere.

Imatge de grup
The presentation event took place on the 27th of January in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, with the participation of several agents working with refugees. The focus was a round table chaired by the journalist Adrià Bas, which included the participation of Maria Peix, Head of the AMB Area for Cooperation, Lluís Elies from the Refugee Support Platform, Maria Llauradó, councillor of the Solidarity and Cooperation Department in the town council of Begues, representing the 10 metropolitan municipalities participating in this programme, and a firsthand witness, Gholamreza Sorwhabi, an Iranian refugee rescued in the waters of the Aegean Sea. 

Maria Peix emphasises that the Metropolitan Area is strongly committed to the reality of the Mediterranean. She added that there are two lines of action: firstly, to travel to the area where refugees are being accommodated and help them in situ to find solutions to the environmental impacts linked to migration movements, such as waste management. "Since we are not allowed to host refugees in our municipalities, we support hosting initiatives in territories where this is happening", concludes Maria Peix.

Maria Llauradó, councillor of the Solidarity and Cooperation Department in the town council of Begues, highlights the role of the AMB in the local sphere, as this programme serves as a tool to unite all entities from diverse sectors towards a common goal and, at the same time, it gives a voice to small municipalities. 

Gholamreza Sorwhabi underlines the importance of this project, as it brings awareness to society about the problems that many people face when fleeing their country and adds that he is taking a course on maritime rescue, because he wants to save those people who unfortunately drown in the Mediterranean when migrating.

This project is developed together with the town councils of Begues, Cervelló, el Papiol, la Palma de Cervelló, Sant Climent de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Cervelló and Torrelles de Llobregat. This year three more municipalities have joined the programme: Molins de Rei, Montcada i Reixac and Sant Adrià de Besòs.

One of the indirect consequences of the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea is the high volume of waste that refugee camps generate and which constitutes a serious environmental sustainability problem. According to data from UNHCR, over 1 million refugees from Syria live in refugee camps in Lebanon, while in the island of Lesbos, emigration has generated over 500,000 life vests in its beaches.

In view of this situation, the AMB Area for Cooperation finds it imperative to contribute to guarantee the rights of refugees and reduce the environmental impact, fostering waste recycling.

From now until May, a total of 60 events will take place in the 10 metropolitan municipalities taking part in this programme, in order to bring this issue closer to the citizens and with the collaboration of various local groups and entities.

The programme will finish with a great closing party on the 5th of May in the Nova Icària beach in Barcelona, where commitment and vindication will be the leitmotiv of the participating municipalities.

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Where
Marker
Plaça del Pi Tallat Santa Coloma de Cervelló