Next week all roads lead to…Graz, Austria!

As part of the Elevate Festival opening on February 27 in Graz I’ll be joined by actress and activist Pamela Anderson to promote our Green New Deal for Europe – the flagship policy proposal in our Progressive Agenda for Europe we’re taking to ballot boxes everywhere next May.

Our collaboration started last year, when Pamela and I published a conversation for the American magazine Jacobin. In it, we discussed various topics, from climate change to Gilets Jaunes, and from activism to… Baywatch!

Among other things we both agreed on what DiEM25 has been saying since its launch back in February 2016:

“Look at leaders such as Trump, Bolsonaro, and Salvini and you will see exactly these properties (of “ur-fascism”). They are destroying the Amazon, the Arctic, the whole planet in “real time.” And there is no planet B,” said Pamela.

“Retreating to nationalistic tendencies is not an alternative”, she elaborated, adding that, “The only road to freedom is via a joint fight of the unprivileged. This means foreign workers included.”

From my part, I stressed that, ” unless the deep crisis of the European Union is solved, which is not only internal but also concerns its foreign policy, I am afraid we will see the situation deteriorating even more. So instead of the simple “Lexit” solution, I think we need more trans-national politics, not just an inter-national politics (between nations), but a trans-national one. We need to go beyond the nation state.”

Among the activities in Graz next week, Pamela and I will discuss the role of activism today and the current situation in Europe – and the world.

Also, Daniela Platsch (our MEP candidate in Germany) will join us on February 27 at 3pm CET in a press conference at Forum Stadtpark, where the three of us will speak about our Green New Deal for Europe, and our transnational bid to enter the European Parliament.

Supporting progressive priorities such as our Green New Deal for Europe, having a true international mentality and understanding about what’s happening in the world today, from the US to France, from Turkey to Brazil, is rare nowadays. The dominant discourse is a retreat to toxic nationalisms and xenophobia. That an actress and activist from the other side of the Atlantic like Pamela steps up to join and support our struggle is outstanding – a courageous act we cherish and appreciate.

The press conference will be livestreamed, so stay tuned, keep an eye on our social media for links to the stream and more info!

There is no culture without popular culture! There is no resistance without imagination!

Carpe DiEM!

For press accreditation [needed to attend press conference]:

Demokratie in Europa – DiEM25 (German Press Office)

Claudia Trapp | +49 176 43294733 | claudia.trapp@deineuropa.jetzt

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