(movie provided by the artist)
Performance “Permit F”.
Saturday, 30th August, 2008
Starting point: Zürich HB, Meeting Point at 2pm
Arrival point: Kunsthaus, Ferdinand Hodler Hall
PLEASE JOIN !
A performance with a group of refugees
A project by Al Fadhil
With the collaboration of Hayder Almusawi
The Swiss confederation is known as a land of asylum. Because of its neutral policy and its solidarity laws, the land has hosted in its cantons many people who have left their countries of origin for political or religious reasons, or because they belong to ethnic and racial groups. In the Swiss Parliament, particular decrees were established in order to regulate the temporary admittance of refugees according to their situation. The permit granted to the refuge-seekers falls within category F.
Having sought a refuge in Switzerland, in the hope of having peace, they have found themselves holding the controversial class “F” permit, which allows only limited freedom. According to chapter 11 of article 83, certain rights are granted to the refugee, but actually these are rules of control, which often contradict the principles of transparency and solidarity.
The artist breaks the circle and invites the exiles to a peaceful and creative public demonstration inside the museum.
Art is a free territory, it offers the possibility of reflection. Its power conveys a sense of belonging, of being a citizen of a world without permits and frontiers.
Saturday August the 30th, at 2pm, we will meet at Hautpbahnhof and then walk from the Zurich central station, crossing the Bahnhofstraße, and proceed towards the Kunsthaus. Each person will carry a sign with a slogan referring to permit F, the Swiss flag or various symbols of the associations engaged in the defence of the human rights and protection of refugees.
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