Tunnel 14 - Press Release

The second generation inside "Tunnel 14"
A journey that unites: the trolley-bus of memory

On Wednesday June 20 2007, the day which the United Nations have designated as World Refugee Day, a public action with the title "Tunnel 14" will take place inside a vehicle of line 14 (Papadiamanti Square – Neo Psyhiko). It is an event organized by the Reconstruction Community in cooperation with the United African Women Organization and the Helenic Sudanese Friendship League.

Our goal is to highlight the issues concerning the second generation of immigrants, in order to inform fellow citizens about the problems of social integration faced by the children of immigrants who have been born and live in this country.

The initial idea for this action was that in the 80's, line 14 of the Athenian trolley buses connecting Patissia to Ambelokipi, was used extensively by the (then) newly-arrived African community of Athens in order to commute discreetly. This line provided a direct connection between their two main areas of early settlement located at the terminals. Travelers, would have experienced this as a safe journey through town, as if it were through a familiar "tunnel".

In an attempt to stir such remininscences, trolley bus 14 will be symbolically rendered to the very same people for a different journey. On June 20, 2007, a regular vehicle of this line on a special mission will carry children of immigrants who have been born in Greece; the children will consciously act out the role of passengers, but, they will also be part of a performance reserving a few surprises! Different social realities meeting inside a vehicle of public transport, on a journey that unites two urban areas of our "global" city.

The action will start at 19:00 from Papadiamanti square and a series of happenings initiated by the numerous participants -children, volunteers, artists- will be "occurring" all along. This particular journey on trolley-bus 14 will be free; musicians will be getting on the bus from various stops to perform for the passengers, blending their sound with the sounds of the city; we will be offering disposable cameras to the passengers to record their view of the event.

Finally, there will be a concert in Plateia Amerikis sq. featuring: HAPPY DOG PROJECT, Apostolos Rizos, Filippos Pappas, KAI TOU KAIROU KAI PANTA, LADYBURST, BONUS TRACK, FTK FFEPIPE.

Program of the events on trolley-bus 14:
19:00 start of journey from Papadiamanti sq.
19:20 a 30' minute stop and the first performance in Plateia Amerikis sq.
19:50 the bus resumes the journey until the Neo Psyhiko terminal
20:20 return from Neo Psyhiko to Plateia Amerikis sq.
20:40 stop and the second performance in Plateia Amerikis
21:00 concert

Organization:
Reconstruction Community | United African Women Organization | Hellenic Sudanese Friendship League.


With the support of:
General Secretariat of Youth, Athens Trolley-buses, Labor Association of Athens, National Council of Youth in the framework of the campaign “all equal – all different”, Photo Ignatiadis, Amnesty International, General Confederation of Greek Workers.


Info
6934245943 (Ntina Batzia)
6977005459 (Katerina Nasioka)

photo : ©Spyros Tsakiris | workshop with the second generation (children of immigrants)
poster: graphic design©George Vitsaropoulos| photo ©Spyros Tsakiris


Press Conference
The Reconstruction Community invites you to a Press Conference on Monday June 18, 12.30 p.m., at the Greek Forum of Migrants, Ferron 18, Viktoria square, for the presentation of the action TUNNEL 14. In the press conference there will be representatives of all institutions and organisations that support “Tunnel 14”.

Call for Volunteers:
The Reconstruction Community invites those who would like to participate as volunteers on the particular day of the action to send an e-mail: info@reconstruction.gr

Volunteers will mainly work together with our members in order to inform people in the trolley-bus and on the road with regard to the issues of the second generation (children of immigrants).