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“WAS UNS BEWEGT”

Portfolio

Rita Saggiomo

Liceo “G. Mazzini”

Naples

Italy

September 2016

-

February 2018

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Kick off Strasbourg meeting

I have chosen to take part in the project "Was Uns Bewegt" not just for living pure experience in another

country for 3 months, but also for talking about the theme of migrants, which actual situation is not the

best one. The project provided one week in Strasburg, where all participants coming from Italy, Finland,

Austria and Germany met for establishing a relationship and they chose a partner with whom Live for 6

months.

We left on 12th December, when we arrived at the hotel, we went to the room where the activities

provided would be carried out.

At the beginning, we watched "Little Alien", a movie that talks about migrants, whose plot is: some

teenagers are escaping for having a future.

The second day was funnier: we learned the concept of diversity through the "apple game" (everyone takes

an apple, we saw it and we mixed it with the other ones. Then we had to recognise ours and the reason of

choice).

We learned the essential values through "the balloon game"(there were 5 balloons, on which there were

written some values).We had to launch them to someone and this person had not to fall down it. The last

balloon, that stayed in the air, was the essential value for that person). By these games we learned to know

each other with every participant and we have realised to be in contact.

The other partners showed own school and the actual situation of migration through videos and Internet

service.

The other days we visited the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Court, in

which we assisted to some debates about the European migrants situation. We visited Strasburg, in which

there were a lot of Christmas markets, excessive decorates because in this City the art of Christmas

decoration was born. We spent an unforgettable week in which we learned a lot and especially we grew

morally.

We went to Strasburg to know more how the European system works and what it does for migrants. We

discovered three institutions that work for improving migrants’ situation:

The European Parliament

The European Parliament deals with asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in general. The objectives for

helping immigrants are:

Defining a balanced approach to immigration: the EU aims to set up a balanced approach to dealing with

regular immigration and combating irregular immigration. Proper management of migration flows entails

ensuring fair treatment of third-country nationals residing legally in Member States, enhancing measures to

combat irregular immigration and promoting closer cooperation with non-member countries in all fields. It

is the EU’s aim to establish a uniform level of rights and obligations for regular immigrants, comparable

with that for EU citizens.

Principle of solidarity: under the Lisbon Treaty, immigration policies are to be governed by the principle of

solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, including its financial implications, among the Member States

Parliament actively supports the introduction of a European immigration policy. On the admission of third-

country nationals, it has called for the development of legal instruments, and, in particular, measures to

reduce incentives for irregular immigration.

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In its resolution on the Stockholm Programme, adopted on 25 November 2009, Parliament urged that

integration, immigration and asylum policies be built on full respect for fundamental rights. It once again

deplored refoulement and collective expulsions to countries where human rights are not respected.

Parliament has always stressed the importance of addressing the needs of the most vulnerable groups,

such as refugees and minors.

Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Parliament has been actively involved in the adoption of

new legislation dealing with immigration. For instance, it played a pivotal role in the drafting and adoption

of the ‘Return’ and ‘Single Permit’ Directives.

In response to the arrival of increasing numbers of migrants on the Union's Mediterranean coasts and the

growing number of shipwrecks since the end of 2013, on 17 December 2014 Parliament adopted a

resolution on the situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic EU approach to migration,

which authorised its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs to draft an own-initiative report.

Parliament adopted the draft report on 12 April 2016. The report, which deals with an increasingly topical

subject, provides the European Parliament with a general framework for its future positions in this field,

particularly for the two packages which the Commission published in 2016 on asylum and economic

migration.

The Parliament laws have reached many achievements such as:

a) Institutional developments brought about by the Lisbon Treaty.

The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force in December 2009 (1.1.5), introduced co-decision and qualified

majority voting on regular immigration and a new legal basis for integration measures. The ordinary

legislative procedure now applies to policies on both irregular and regular immigration, making Parliament

a co-legislator on an equal footing with the Council. The provisional measures to be taken in the event of a

sudden inflow of third-country nationals are adopted by the Council alone, however, after consulting

Parliament.

The Lisbon Treaty also made it clear that the EU shares competence in this field with the Member States, in

particular as regards the number of migrants allowed to enter a Member State to seek work. Finally, the

Court of Justice now has full jurisdiction in the field of immigration and asylum.

b) Recent policy developments

The ‘Global Approach to Migration and Mobility’, adopted by the Commission in 2011 establishes a general

framework for the EU’s relations with third countries in the field of migration. It is based on four pillars:

regular immigration and mobility, irregular immigration and trafficking in human beings, international

protection and asylum policy, and maximising the impact of migration and mobility on development. The

human rights of migrants are a cross-cutting issue in the context of this approach.

The Global Approach focuses on regional and bilateral dialogue between countries of origin, transit and

destination. One of the main instruments of the Global Approach are the ‘mobility partnerships’ which can

be concluded with third countries. These partnerships incorporate not only readmission agreements, but a

whole set of measures, ranging from development aid to temporary entry visa facilitation, measures on

circular migration, and measures to combat irregular immigration.

c) Recent legislative developments

Since 2008, a number of significant directives on immigration and asylum have been adopted and some

other relevant directives are due to be revised in the near future.

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1.Regular immigration

Following the difficulties encountered in adopting a general provision covering all labour immigration into

the EU, the current approach consists of adopting sectoral legislation, by category of migrants, in order to

establish a regular immigration policy at EU level.

Directive 2009/50/EC on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes

of highly qualified employment creates the ‘EU blue card’, a fast-track procedure for issuing a special

residence and work permit, on more attractive terms, to enable third-country workers to take up highly

qualified employment in the Member States.

The Single Permit Directive (2011/98/EU) sets out a common, simplified procedure for third-country

nationals applying for a residence and work permit in a Member State, as well as a common set of rights to

be granted to regular immigrants. The first report on its implementation is due by December 2016.

Directive 2014/36/EU, adopted in February 2014, regulates the conditions of entry and residence of third-

country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal workers. Migrant seasonal workers are

allowed to stay legally and temporarily in the EU for a maximum period of between five and nine months

(depending on the Member State) to carry out an activity dependent on the passing of seasons, while

retaining their principal place of residence in a third country. The directive also clarifies the set of rights to

which such migrant workers are entitled.

Directive 2014/66/EU on conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of

an intra-corporate transfer was adopted on 15 May 2014. It is to be transposed by 29 November 2016, and

will make it easier for businesses and multinational corporations to temporarily relocate their managers,

specialists and trainee employees to their branches or subsidiaries located in the European Union. The first

report on its implementation is due by the end of November 2019.

On 25 March 2013, the Commission put forward a proposal (COM(2013)0151) for a directive improving the

existing legislative instruments applicable to third-country nationals seeking entry to the EU for the

purposes of study or research (Directives 2004/114/EC and 2005/71/EC). The new directive (2016/801/EU)

was adopted on 11 May 2016 and an assessment of its implementation must be submitted by 23 May 2023

at the latest.

Lastly, the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents in the European Union is still

regulated by Council Directive 2003/109/EC, as amended in 2011 to extend its scope to refugees and other

beneficiaries of international protection.

2.Integration

Directive 2003/86/EC sets out provisions on the right to family reunification. The 2008 report on its

implementation concluded that it was not fully and correctly applied in the Member States: as a

consequence, a green paper was published in 2011, initiating a public consultation procedure. In April 2014,

the Commission published a communication providing guidance to the Member States on how to apply the

directive.

In April 2010, the Commission presented the third edition of the Handbook on Integration for policy-makers

and practitioners, and in July 2011 it adopted the European Agenda for the Integration of Third-Country

Nationals. In addition, since 2009 two instruments have been created to deal with the issue of integration:

the European Integration Forum (organised by the Commission and the European Economic and Social

Committee) and the European Website on Integration (http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/). In January 2015, the

scope of the European Integration Forum was extended, transforming it into the European Migration

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Forum. Lastly, in June 2016 the Commission put forward an action plan, setting out a policy framework and

practical steps to help Member States integrate the 20 million non-EU nationals legally resident in the EU.

3.Irregular immigration

The EU has adopted two major pieces of legislation to combat irregular immigration:

The ‘Return Directive’ sets out common EU standards and procedures for returning irregularly resident

third-country nationals. Member States were called upon to transpose the directive by 24 December 2010.

The first report on its implementation was adopted in March 2014. The main areas for further action

include ensuring its proper implementation, promoting consistent, fundamental rights-compatible

practices, improving cooperation between Member States and enhancing the role of Frontex. One of the

main tasks of the teams supporting national authorities at hotspots in Italy and Greece is to ensure that

people actually return to their country of origin. On 9 September 2015, the Commission published a

European Union action plan on return, which was endorsed by the Council the following October.

Directive 2009/52/EC specifies sanctions and measures to be applied in Member States against employers

who infringe the ban on employing illegally resident third-country nationals. Member States were required

to transpose the directive by 20 July 2011. The first report on the implementation of the directive was

submitted 22 May 2014.

European Court of Human Rights

It is based in Strasbourg and it was designed by the British architect Lord Richard Rogers, in 1994.

The European Court of Human Rights is an international court set up in 1959. It rules individual or state

applications alleging violations of the civil and political established by the European Convention of Human

Rights. The Court have brought the governments to modify their legislation and their own administrative

practice in many sectors. 47 judges and around 650 people of the Job Register, they work for assuring the

respect of the human rights of 820 million Europeans in 47 States members of the Europe Council that have

ratified the Convention.

European Convention

The European Convention of the Human rights is an international treaty which the members of the Europe

Council guarantee the fondamental rights civil and political not only to own citizens but also to anyone are

found under their jurisdiction. The Convention enter into force in 1953.

Judges

The judges are elected from the parliamentary meeting of the Europe Council from lists of 3 names

proposed by every State. They are elected for 9 years.

Immigration

The Italian politics of management of the migration flows and -particularly the practice of the forced

rejection of migrant toward their Countries of origin- it has been invalidated from the sentence of the

European Court of the Human Rights on the "case Hirsi against Italy". Italy has been condemned for having

violated the fondamental rights of migrant, pick up from open sea and re-sent back to their country

without permission. Two hundred migrant are assisted by the Italian Council for the Refugees, which,

became to knowledge of the facts, introduces a report to the European Court of the Human Rights. Italy

must pay the migrant with 15000 euro each.

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The Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organization. It includes 47 member states,

28 of which are members of the European Union.

All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on human right, a treaty

designed to protect human rights, democracy and rule of law. The Council of Europe advocates freedom of

expression and of the media, freedom of assembly, equality, and the protection of minorities. It has

launched campaigns on issues such as child protection, online hate speech, and the rights of the Roma,

Europe's largest minority. The Council of Europe helps member states fight corruption and terrorism and

undertake necessary judicial reforms. Its group of constitutional experts, known as the Venice Commission,

offers legal advice to countries throughout the world.

The Council of Europe promotes human rights through international conventions, such as the Convention

on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and the Convention on

Cybercrime. It monitors member states' progress in these areas and makes recommendations through

independent expert monitoring bodies. Council of Europe member states no longer apply the death

penalty.

The European Court of the Human Rights oversees the implementation of the Convention in the member

states.

The Court is identifiable across the world by the symbol of the building in which it is housed: the Human

Rights Building. 47 judges and about 650 Registry staff work there to ensure respect for the human rights of

820 million Europeans in the 47 member States of the Council of Europe that have ratified the Convention.

Main rights and freedoms in the Convention:

Right to go to school: to have an education;

Freedom of the press and Freedom of expression: to say and write what a person thinks;

Freedom of assembly and association: a person has a right to take part in peaceful meetings and to

set up or join associations , including trade unions;

Right to free elections: a person has the right to elect the government of own country by secret

vote;

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion: a person has the right to practice own religion at

home and in public, and a person can change own religion;

Right to marry: a person has the right to marry and to have a family;

Right to respect for private and family life: a person has the right to respect for own private and

family life, own home and correspondence;

Protection of property: a person has the right to own property and use own possessions;

Prohibition of torture: no one ever has the right to hurt or torture a person. Even in detention own

human dignity has to be respected;

Prohibition of discrimination: everybody are the same, no care about skin colour, sex, language,

political or religious beliefs, or origins;

Prohibition of slavery and forced labour: it`s prohibited to treat a person as a slave or to impose

forced labour on him/her;

Right to fair trial: a person has the right to fail trial before an unbiased and independent judge. If a

person is accused of having committed a crime, he/she is innocent until proved guilty. If a person is

poor, he/she has the right to be assisted by a lawyer who has to be paid by the state;

Right to liberty and security: a person has the right to liberty: if a person is arrested, he/she has the

right to know why, to stand trial soon, or to be released until the trial takes place.

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All the Court’s judgments and a large selection of decisions, information on communicated cases, advisory

opinions, press releases, legal summaries and Commission decisions and reports are published in the

HUDOC database.

The Council of Europe about the migrants

The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in Sofia,

proposed today a set of measures, in order to maximise the benefits of migration between China and

Europe. It called on Member States, in particular, to sign bilateral agreements with China on social security,

education and other integration-related issues. Parliamentarians also recommended to develop co-

operation with the Chinese authorities to combat trafficking and smuggling networks. The resolution

adopted today, on the basis of a report by Thierry Mariani (France, EPP/CD), states that the influx of

Chinese migrants to Europe should be viewed "in terms of potential for economic growth," and calls on

Member States to facilitate their access to the nationality of the host country. […]”

“We must unite to defend democracy," says the PACE President, Anne Brasseur, "To do so, we must

overcome political divisions to focus on the root causes of extremism and radicalisation. We must

denounce hatred, discrimination and intolerance, and reaffirm the values of "living together"." Anne

Brasseur called on national parliaments to ratify the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe

Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, a "powerful instrument in our common response to all would-

be terrorists," and invited parliamentarians to get involved in the Council of Europe "No hate campaign."

Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees constitute a significant and growing proportion of the general

population of countries in Europe. Globally, more than 60 million people - refugees and internally displaced

persons (IDPs) - are forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, disasters and human rights violations. This is the

highest level of forced displacement since World War II.

These groups are more vulnerable in case of a disaster given their limited access to information. They may

not master the language of the State where they are displaced, not be aware of risks familiar to locals. They

may also experience increased vulnerability if their living conditions are below average (refugee camps,

marginal settings in dangerous areas) or if, as a consequence of their situation, they have poor health,

relatively low education, etc.

The Council of Europe, through its EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement, is promoting improvements in

emergency planning, disaster response and risk mitigation for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. EUR-

OPA works in particular to:

• recommend strategies to reduce migrants’ vulnerability and exposure to risks;

• improve co-ordination between civil protection and other agencies supporting migrants, asylum

seekers and refugees;

• exchange good practices to better engage young people in civil society and in all phases of the

disaster risk management cycle, as well as actions for engaging with migrants and using their

skills and capacities for disaster risk reduction.

These activities contribute to the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

2015-2030.

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My Diary

I’m glad to be one of the students of “Liceo Giuseppe Mazzini” (Naples, Italy) involved in this project with

the other students who are Federica, Chiara and Cristina. We faced with the Italian migrant situation

starting from the causes that force migrants to leave their country. Our teachers have sent us some part of

materials on net and we have added other researches, we’ve been divided into groups and everyone has

had a role. I took part to this project together with my schoolmates for Alternating Training that has a topic

“immigration problems” too. We worked on it for 2 months and we joined a social cooperative that is called

Dedalus. Dedalus is a not profit making organization born in 1981 and now is a social cooperative. It

currently promotes and supports path to citizenship acceptance and career guidance in particular for

victims of trafficking, unaccompanied minors, women in distress, trans-sexual. Some young migrants

became operators of the cooperative as cultural or linguistic mediators such as Yzma who has dealt the two

meetings with us. Two classes of our section have met this cooperative in their own premises. Dedalus has

informed us to promote sheltering and caring activities for unaccompanied minors. Lately they’ve told us

their moving stories that made us aware of being very lucky. this cooperative has as main aim to promote

their own education, access to the social and health services and job integration. Their methodology is

based on building of an ‘’individual integration programme’’, in collaboration with each minor focuses on

their needs and according to their projects for the future all the migrants usually unload in the Italian island

of Lampedusa, that is an island situated in the south of Italy. Here they receive help and welcome. We

heard about a guy who had to escape from Gambia to get a better life, his name is Soulayman Lowe he has

never known his father and his mother. His brother was his last family member, he was a soldier and paid

for his education and all he needs, but when his brother was killed he had to run away across many African

countries until he arrived to his final destination where he was welcomed, Naples. on 6 of December we

had a meeting with another school, “Villari”, that had the same experience, and we’ve discussed and

exchanged opinions. We also had a meeting with the regional school office that in Campania coordinates

the selection of various schools which take part to Europe and Lampedusa.

Finally we were to the Nanà international centre where hospitality is given to the minors and we saw again

the same minors met at Dedalus.

Training day in Florence organised by INDIRE (the national agency) After Strasburg, on the 20th and 21st December 2016, I went to Florence with Mrs. Di Taranto. There was a

meeting organized by the Erasmus Plus National Agency of INDIRE at the "Leonardo da Vinci" National

Institute for the students and contact teachers of the schools involved in a Strategic partnership with long-

term mobility activities of pupils. Protagonists of the seminar, the 28 students of 8 high schools and

secondary schools that in 2016 have lived an Erasmus experience in another European country for a period

of about three months, studying in a partner school of their own institute (Spain, France , Germany,

Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Lithuania and Belgium), thanks to the ongoing strategic partnership projects in

their sending schools. Together with these guys, I was confronted with other departing Erasmus + young

people, who, with a sort of witness passage, put their stories at the center, but also the design experiences

of the Institutes that chose to put themselves in play by inserting the long-term mobility between the

activities of the Strategic Partnership funded under Key Action 2 of the Program. The training seminar was

an important opportunity to have a direct feedback on the experiences already carried out, to highlight the

problems and the positive aspects of this activity, mainly through working groups, during which there was

also the active participation of psychotherapists in support of the students to help them reflect on the

possible situations of difficulty, the training contract, the evaluation after the return and on how best to

live this experience.

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My long mobility in Berlin

My stay started in Berlin on 8th of September and finished on 6th December.

Berlin was beautiful!

The houses were very different: they were not so high, like in Naples, but just for three floors. Indeed, near

the Berlin's outside, there were a lot of mountain's houses: they had big gardens with flowers, little lakes

with fishes inside and they had brown roofs in a triangle way for the snow.

The transports were clean and always in time. They arrived everywhere, so if someone hadn't the car was

not a problem because everything was connected and there were maps everywhere. You couldn't lose

through the streets!

Berlin was very big: when I saw a map for the first time, I didn't want to believe that just one city had nine

underground lines or a lot of bus, tram and trains. There was a tram called "the Ring" because it turned

around the centre of Berlin...so this brought the people to understand how Berlin wa big if hd a tram just

for the centre!

At that moment, I was learning the most important station that I musted know for when I would go alone

for Berlin, so for example I knew my first house's station name: Pastor Niemöller Platz. I saw the river that

flows through Berlin: "die Spree". There was a beautiful park where someone could stay on the grass or sat

on the bench and saw the river. The park was all natural: tree, grass, flowers everywhere.

The silence was the first thing that I've noticed: there's not car that played sounds, or someone that spoke

with loud voice. It was very different than in Naples.

The school was amazing; there was another system: so the students changed room every lesson, because

every subject had her room, like the art room: was beautiful, with a lot of draws, colour pencil and every

kind of thing that you needed for draw.

Every lesson took 80 minutes and this time was called "Blockunterricht". The school had three buildings:

"Haus 1" and "Haus 2" was for guys of my age; the "Haus Frosch" was green and for young guys. In the

"Haus 1" there was the canteen where everyone could buy a warm food, and there was a machine with

which you could make full of water your battle. There was a supermarket near the school, if someone

didn't like the food of the canteen.

About the lessons, it was so strange to follow the language ones, because the teacher explained the words

and translate in their language, and for me were both foreign languages.

The food was different in a good way: the German people eat pasta without vegetables, while in Italy we

do; they ate it with meat: in Italy, if there's not the tomato sauce, we don't eat. They cook the salad with

apple too: it's tasty!!

By the way, I just discovered how my area is called: Pankow. I visited it a little bit and is so simple, without

strange things or something similar.

Berlin is for all cultures: there are many foreigners, and they live all in an area of Pankow that is called:

Gesundbrunnen. In this area everything is cheap, so for everyone not so rich that can't buy in normal

supermarkets.

The German here is more different than one that I study in my school: the German people spoke so fast and

I understood some words, but not enough for understand the whole conversation. I tried to learn the

words easier at the beginning, for example the word of the house: the kitchen, the bathroom, the towel,

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ecc. I asked for a milk-coffee once! So I learned slowly, and I hoped that three months were enough for

understand my German teacher.

There was so much to learn and to know, so many foods to try (and I tried all). I wanted to discover all

Berlin, because is another world.

On 8th October was my first month in Berlin.

So, I visited a lot of monument: the Brandeburger Tor, the Jews' mausoleum (thanks to my teacher for),

Tiergarten with the Statue of the Bismarck, the Charlotten Schloss (that is beautiful).

I went to the first concert of my life: in Brandeburger Tor, on 2nd October, there was the Coca Cola Festival,

so famous German singers sing like in a real concert, but this was free. Around the Brandeburger Tor, there

were many street markets that sell brezel, beer, candy and games. There was a Ferris wheel too. The only

bad thing was the rain: it was raining all the time, and it was a period where it poured down.

In Alexanderplatz there was the Oktoberfest: it was just an imitation and not so big like the real one, but big

enough for make full half of the square (and is enormous). I didn't try the beer, but I saw a lot of beer kiosks

with people dressed like a Dutch woman (with braids).

I met my „tutor“, Herr. Wegener: is so nice with me and always worried about my situation. He always

asked me if there is something wrong and how he could help me.

And, thanks to him, finally I had my timetable: I had a lot of own study, because the major part of the

lessons I didn't understand (it's too hard for me). So I attended just the language lessons: English, French

and German. The German that they studied here is like the Italian for us: they red the test and answered to

the question about, and they tried to understand the secret meaning of the text with the teacher; the same

thing that we call: Antologia. It was a very difficult level of German, but I needed for perfect (or learn) mine.

But, speaking of this, I began the German curse!! It was so funny; I understood not every time, but I was not

the only one. There were many foreign people: Turks, Arabians, an Italian like me, Vietnamese, Finish and

Afghans. And every one of us spoke in German, or we tried to. The lessons were very lights: they took three

hours, but I didn't pay attention for. To every break, we shared the food: there was who brought the chips,

who brought the food from own country and people like me that brought chocolate. Thanks to this course,

I was understanding the U-Bahn: so I knew the stations and the difference between lines. I loved to live

there: first of all, I love that Berlin never finished: there were always new things to see and new museum to

visit.

About the host family, it was a particular experience: I changed family after one month and half. The reason

was: Lisa, the person that hosted me, became sick and I risked to be infected. The teachers were worried

about it because Lisa and me hadn't a good friendship and with the disease would have been practically

impossible make it better. So Frau Bohn brought me to know the new family. When we arrived at the new

home, I was surprised: it was a very big house, with two floors, a big garden and a cellar (like in the horror

movie, dark with a lot of stairs).

I was surprised because the house of before was really little, formed only by one toilet, a little kitchen, one

bedroom (so Lisa and me shared it), the mother's bedroom and a living room.

In this house there were three toilets (two upstairs) (one is for Anita, one for her father and one for her

sister), two living room (one upstairs), a kitchen, an office, the music room (my favourite: you can lay on the

soft rug and listen classic music for relaxing).

I had my personal bedroom and I shared the bathroom/toilet with Anita.

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Anita is the girl that hosted me: she was so crazy; nothing for her is impossible. We loved to watch the

movie together (obviously in German with German or English subtitles). She loved baking, in fact a day she

baked a delicious “Donauwelle” (a cake).

She lives with her father, Mathias: he was so cute, very careful for everything and considerate. He was

interested about my life, my country's traditions and my day's projects (completely opposite than other

family).

The Anita's parents are separated and the daughters lived from their parents: Anita with her father and the

sister with her mother.

The Anita's sister sometimes come to sleep here, so she had her bedroom and her toilet.

I discovered my favourite place in Berlin: Lustgarten.

It's a very big Square where there's a garden with near a church and der Altes Museum. I loved everything

about the Greece (first of all, the mythology), and the Altes Museum is looks like a temple. It's an art

museum.

The cathedral was something amazing: it was the “Berliner Dom”. It's Baroque style, built in XVIII century.

From this place, you could see the Spree, the Berlin's river, and near there was a fountain of the God of the

Sea: Poseidon (Greek mythology again).

I visited the Berlin Zoo!!

Oh my God, I saw the Pandas FOR THE FIRST TIME!! They were so fluffy, fat and cute: I wanted to bring

them at home.

That zoo was something beautiful: it was very big (you need 4/5 hours for see just the zoo), and there was

every kind of animals: from the polar bear to the camel. I saw the polar wolf (so beautiful and powerful),

the brown bear (so cute), the reindeer (before I thought they were elks, but after I translated the name).

The best of all (after pandas, of course) is the elephants: I discovered that there are two kind of elephant

(Chinese one and African one: you see the difference from the ears, because the Chinese one has smaller

than the African), and I saw the Chinese male one, so he had long tusks. I think that he had a girlfriend,

because he petted a female with his trunk.

After Exchanging

After my incredible long mobility experience in Berlin, I can say that I grew morally, because I saw different

thinking ways, I tested myself living an independent life. I’m more aware about immigration situation after

taking part to migrants’ meetings both in Italy and in Germany. In Italy I gave my voluntary contribution to

immigrants’ first aids in the harbour of Naples. With Civil Protection, I helped minors not accompanied,

women and men after landing in Naples (giving them food, drinks, clothes and blankets).

In Berlin Vincent and I bake together with Refugees delicious cookies, cakes and pastries for children and

homeless people. The inspired is by the sugar celebration at the end of Lent of Ramadan. This year, we

want to make joint baking campaigns in the run-up to Christmas. Of course fun is in the foreground and

trying the result is a must. We regularly try new recipes and the resulting Pastries will be offered and issued

for donations. The Association Against Child Poverty we have a kitchen that we can use as a pastry shop.

The project always takes place three times a week. I enjoied so much with the family: they had kids (I love

so much children, in fact I stayed everytime with them). I speak a little bit italian with the father becuase he

said me he knew italian words; it was so funny. The mum didn't speak english, just a little bit of german, so I

tried to speak with her, but we needed a translator anyway. The thing that surprised me so much was the

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kid: he did english at school and he went in an english school for one year. He spoke english better than

me!! We cooked orange cookies with vegan ingredients (so adapt for everyone) and we decorated it with

sugar miniballs, color food gel and sugar paste (I've a future like pastry chef: I discovered I know how to

decorate a perfect snowman cookie). For the rest, it was the most beautiful experience ever, because to

know that you were helping people without money for food and to know that the kids forget for a moment

the poverty and thinking to play like normal kids is amazing. I felt so many emotions in the meantime.

When it came the moment of goodbye, the children hugged me so much that I was going to cry.

When I was in Berlin, I was informed about migrants’ situations in the meantime. I found these “news”

1) http://uk.businessinsider.com/germany-integrate-immigrants-better-2017-8?r=US&IR=T

From the website Business Insider UK, I was informed about the migrants’ situation in Germany. It’s a

report dealing with Germany which hopes to integrate over 1 million migrants better than it did with

Turkish immigrants in the 60s.

2) http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41147362

Oberhausen’s situation.

Kick off Luxemburg meeting

On 8th January, we went to Luxemburg. We met again the Strasburg’s people. The first day we shared our

foreign experiences by Power Point presentation, with photos and laughs. After we went to complete our

portfolio, that had to be ready for that Saturday, so it was so soon! We worked all together with our

computers, helped by our teachers that explained to us how the portfolio was structured and how we had

to build it up. On Wednesday, we visited the Court of Justice of the European Union: it was really

interesting. After we returned in our hotel and we worked again to the portfolio, but writing about the

Court too. The following day, we took the bus to go to the Bank Museum: it was about money and photos.

We saw the Ville Cesare Clivio, a big house. On the return for the hotel, we passed through a big bridge

where we saw the whole panorama. On Friday we did a circular walk World War II “Spurensuche”. In the

afternoon, we went to “Caritas”, a NGO. We met an asylum seekers and refugees Educator, who explained

us how the agency works. This organisation helps migrants giving them possibilities to integrate finding

cheap houses and offering them the opportunity to take part to the city’s social activities. The agency helps

them to have an economic contribution given by the local government, because of the local

accomodation’s high prices, they are forced to search in boarding countries (Belgium, Germany, France).

The following day, we did a tour through time and space, connecting the Upper and Lower towns: “Bock”

promontory, Old Town, Wenceslas ring wall, Alzette valley with its unique fortifications. The Council of

Europe has rated this walking tour as an “outstanding” cultural itinerary. A time travel with breathtaking

panoramic views over the Luxembourg fortress. The “Wenzel Walk” guides the visitor through the

millennial history of the city of Luxembourg. Its name pays tribute to Wenceslas II, Duke of Luxembourg

between 1383 and 1419 during whose rule a part of the third ring, the so-called Wenzel wall, was erected.

A lot of additional background facts will be provided about it during the walk. The cultural and historical

“Wenzel Walk” guides us through the oldest quarters of the city of Luxembourg, as we pass a great many

historically outstanding and architecturally compelling edifices. In 1994, the historical core of the old town

– as well as some of the fortress works which are still in good condition – was declared World Heritage by

UNESCO. One of the singularities of Luxembourg is the way in which such small space reveals such a blend

of contrasting styles of architecture: this mixture steadily developed in the last five centuries under the

influence of the forever alternating foreign dominations. On the ground, the Wenzel circuit is signposted. A

large array of information boards posted along the way supply further details about the most important

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sights and the history of the city of Luxembourg. The nature trail coupled with the “Wenzel Walk” focuses

mainly on the topics of geology and nature in specific relation to the topology of the former fortified city.

Court Of Justice Of The European Union

The mission of the European court of Justice is ensuring that the European law is observed. The role is

ensuring EU law is interpreted and applied the same in every EU country; ensuring countries and EU

institutions abide by EU law.

It’s composed by Court of Justice, 28 judges (1 per Member State), 11 Advocates General (5+6); every 6

years, there’s the renovation. It’s also formed by the General Court, 47 judges (2 per Member State as from

2019); each 6 years, it’s renewed.

The actions which the Court can hear are preliminary rulings, direct actions and appeals.

The chamber is composed by: 5 judges, AG (Advocate General, gives opinion helping the judges for take

decisions), R (registrator), référendaire, usher, parties, commission, Member State.

We assisted to a debate, where two Spanish lawyers proposed to the Court if the loan of the companies

made to the bank, after the deadline, had to pay just 2 points more, but the bank asked more, so the

lawyers requited if it was abusive.

To be present in a tribunal’s process was new and so useful: a person can see how it works, how the people

want to do justice and how they ask it; to stand up when the judge come into the room, like in the movies.

Bank Museum

The “Musée de la Banque” was opened in 1995 and fully renovated in 2015; it’s located in the former teller

hall of Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat (BCEE)’s head office and covers an area of 650 m2 . The

museum includes money, savings, secure vault, trading room, electronic banking, history, architecture,

library. In is made up of more buildings and also of an underground Art Gallery. The Art Gallery “Am

Tunnel” of the BCEE Luxembourg provides a unique setting for the bank’s collection of contemporary art,

which includes works by some 100 artists living in the Grand Duchy. A permanent collection of photographs

from Edward Steichen, as well as regular itinerant exhibitions of well-known artists enhance the cultural

variety of Luxembourg’s most unusual art gallery, located 50 feet under the ground.

WORLD WAR II “SPURENSUCHE”

On the 10th of May 1940, the German armed forces swept into Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Grand Duchess Charlotte, her husband and their children went into exile along with government ministers.

After travel- ling through France, Portugal and the USA, they eventually arrived in Canada and Great Britain;

the government in exile establishing itself in Montreal and in London. One minister, however, was unable

to evacuate in time. The decision to leave Luxembourg ensured that the Head of State could not be brought

under the control of the occupying forces and that Luxembourg could remain an independent political

entity aligned with the allied powers in the fight against Hitler. The country remained under German

military administration until the 31st of July 1940.

“Hôtel de Ville” (Town Hall) | Located on the Knuedler, the Town Hall is the former seat of the German-

appointed Mayor. After the liberation of Luxembourg in September 1944, the Town Hall served as the

meeting place of the “Union vun de Letzebuerger Freihétsorganisationen” (Union of Luxembourgish

Freedom Organisations). The “Union” was formed on the 23rd of March 1944 through the merger of three

large Luxembourgish resistance groups: the LPL (“Lëtzebuerger Patriote-Liga” or Luxembourgish Patriot

League); the LVL (“Lëtzebuerger Volleks Legion” or Luxembourgish People‘s Legion) and the LRL

(“Lëtzebuerger Rode Lew” or Luxembourgish Red Lion). In the great hall on the first floor, on the 10th of

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September 1952, the Federal Republic of Germany and the new state of Israel signed the first international

agreement on reparations for victims of the Nazi regime (known in German as the

“Wiedergutmachungsabkommen”).

Place d’Armes: On the 6th of August 1940, this square was the setting for the first public appearance of

Gauleiter Gustav Simon, the German head of the new civil administration. He was accompanied by 800

members of the German “Schutzpolizei” (municipal police). On the same day, the new administration

issued a language

“Reichsarbeitsdienst” decree: “Luxembourg gibberish” was to be stamped out and the country “re-

Germanised”. French place names, street names, company names, signs and even family names and given

names were translated into German. Use of the familiar “merci”, “bonjour” and “pardon” was forbidden

and even wearing a beret was prohibited by law.

Four years later, on the 10th of September 1944, the city‘s inhabitants joyfully welcomed the U.S. 5th

Armored Division here as it liberated Luxembourg. Prince Félix, the husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte,

was also present and was joined shortly afterwards by Crown Prince Jean. On the left of the Cercle

Municipal building‘s main facade, a plaque commemorates the city‘s liberation. On the first floor of the

building, to the right, a round bronze plaque in honour of the two princes bears their contemporary

likenesses.

Palace of the Grand dukes | During the Occupation, the Palace was seized and ownership of it was

transferred to the City of Luxembourg. It was misused by the National Socialist regime as a concert venue,

inn and military social centre; it was even planned that it should house an

While in exile, Grand Duchess Charlotte bene ted from the full support of U.S. President F. D. Roosevelt,

who told the sovereign: “You have to put Luxembourg on the map”. She was to pursue this objective with

vigour in the months that followed.

Place clairefontaine | In the centre of Place Clairefontaine stands the statue of Grand Duchess Charlotte

(1896-1985), who ruled from 1919 to 1964 and who became a symbol of Luxembourg‘s independence

during the war. In August 1940, Luxembourgers displayed their unwillingness to cooperate with the

Germans through a protest action that became known as the “Spéngelskrich” (War of the Badges): they

ostentatiously wore badges, pinned to their coats or jackets, which bore nationalistic emblems such as the

Red Lion (symbolising the hundredth anniversary in 1939 of Luxembourg‘s independence) or the head of

Grand Duchess Charlotte, cut from a coin. Throughout the Occupation, the Grand Duchess addressed her

subjugated people a total of 14 times from abroad over the forbidden “enemy broadcaster”, the BBC. With

an initial airtime of just 2 minutes, the BBC was able to broad- cast a Luxembourg bulletin daily from

October 1943 onwards. On the 14th of April 1945, Charlotte returned home to a rapturous welcome from

her people.

Place claire fontaine and the sculpture of Grand duchess charlotte

Proceeding along Rue Notre-Dame, we reach the main doorway of the Cathedral.

Cathedral to the Blessed Virgin | Inside the church, to the left of the main entrance, is a memorial plaque

that bears wit- ness to the suffering of the Luxembourgish people during the Second World War. It is an

indication of how great a source of moral strength “Maria Consolatrix Afflictorum” (Mary Comforter of the

Afflicted) was to many Luxembourgers both at home and abroad during this terrible time. A further

indication is the consistently high popularity, throughout the occupation years, of the “Octave” pilgrimage

in her honour. The occupying forces restricted the traditional Marian pilgrimage to the inside of the

cathedral; in 1943, all pilgrim- ages were prohibited. Despite these restrictions, Luxembourgers were

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determined to maintain their traditions. Even after liberation in September 1944, the cathedral came under

fire from German V3 “Vergeltungswaffe” (vengeance weapon) long-range artiller.

What Luxembourg’s Airport does for migrants

Falling temperatures pose a serious threat to the homeless who risk freezing to death during winter. The

Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and at the Greater Region organises Wanteraktioun from 1 December

2017 to 31 March 2018 with the assistance of the Red Cross, Caritas and Inter-Actions, as well as over 100

volunteers. Luxembourg Airport gives Caritas access to operate a night shelter in Findel with 180 beds.

Open from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., it provides visitors with a place to sleep, an evening meal, breakfast as well as

showering facilities. The Red Cross runs a day shelter in the capital that offers lunch, leisure activities and

bi-weekly medical care, while Inter-Actions links people to appropriate support services where needed. For

many, Wanteraktioun is a means to surviving winter: last year a daily average of 105-120 people were

welcomed at the night shelter and 180-200 at the day shelter.

PHOTOS

STRASBURG

Departure: (from left) we’re Cristina (who went in Finland), Giulia (who worked in Naples), me, Federica

(who went in Finland too) and Chiara (who went in Austria).

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FLORENCE

We’re me, my french teacher Di Taranto (that is responsible of Was Uns Bewegt project) and Giulia.

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Berlin

Brandeburger Tor

Alexanderplatz

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Brezel Time! Berlin Zoo

Anita and me

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Checkpoint Charlie

German course

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Lustgarten

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Postdamer Platz

Mall of Berlin

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School

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Spreepark

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Oktoberfest

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Baking with Vincent

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Migrants in Italy

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Luxembourg

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Court of Justice of the European Union

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Bank Museum

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World War II Spurensuche

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