Gentlebooklets We Are All Migrants. We Are All Migrants

We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

Text by Carmela Fiorini Photos by Matteo Fieni

1 GentleBooklets We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

#20. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

Text by Carmela Fiorini Photos by Matteo Fieni

2 3 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

GentleBooklets It is a series of long-form articles written by different authors. The booklets, designed for a quick read, feature texts and images. We have kindly asked to the authors to comment on the term “kindness.” Authors and photographers have donated their work. The motivations behind the project are the same as those of Gentletude, the desire to spread awareness about the need for “kindness” in our society, a society too focused on personal success to remember the basics of everyday living and respect for the environment that hosts us. Our decision to present these ideas in a series of publi- cations is due to the awareness that, in order to stimu- late people to think about these issues, it is necessary to present some concrete examples. In this case, the ex- © 2016 Editions Gentletude amples are provided in the texts written by the authors. Via Dufour, 2 CH-6901 Lugano [email protected] www.gentletude.com

Translation from the Italian by Emanuela Rosa Passerini ([email protected])

Distribution by www.gentlebooklets.com

The duplication and use of GentleBooklets is possible after written permission and by citing the source.

If necessary, please print on recycled paper or FSC certified.

4 5 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The migratory phenomenon

…from migrants for economic reasons The first, large block of contemporary migration goes back to the 50’s, just after the end of WWII: the rebuilding of Europe started the European economic boom, that had positive consequences for Switzerland, too, because, as a neutral Country, it offered jobs to many foreigner workers. In Switzerland came many economic migrants, especially Italian, who joined the native manpower. At those times Switzer- land needed “arms” to fill those jobs that natives, with the raising wealth, tended to leave vacant.

…to migrants for political reasons The first political refugees arrived to Swit- zerland during the first 70’s: the Chilean revolution prompted a large group of migrants, escaping Pinochet’s regime, to find protection in Switzerland. A few years later came the migrants from Sri Lanka, and in the 90’s, when the Balkan War exploded, a large exodus of refugees scored a record in asylum requests in the whole Switzerland.

6 7 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

8 9 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The historic evolution life. The fluxes of today, at the contrary, are permanent. I strongly doubt that peo- In the past, the European Governments ple coming from Syria may go home; and took advantage from a largest legislative even those coming from Eritrea can’t re- freedom, that allowed them to adapt laws to turn there, as they’d be sentenced to death the work market and the migratory fluxes, as renegades. The permanence of moving depending on the trend of their own econo- flows is the great difference with the past. mies. This “supremacy” granted them flex- The migrants, by means of the economic ibility, and their citizens a feeling of “safe- helping they get from Europe, finance the ty”. well being of their relatives who remained. The birth of EU, and the signature of bi- Their contributes are even larger than lateral agreements, as far as Switzerland those paid by the “industrialized” Countries is concerned, produced a legislative rigid- to the developing ones. Once they can pay ity that reduced the maneuvering margins. the fare, the relatives leave for Europe, Furthermore, the effects of economic boom too. What’s more, in my opinion, the glo- are over, since long; Europe can’t grant any balization contributes even further to the more the working conditions of the past, permanence; different from the World War having to face its own problems of inner end, when things resolved by themselves, unemployment. Nevertheless, in the col- America and Russia entered in the Syrian lective imagination of many migrants, it conflict, that thus became almost global. remains a shelter, even from the financial That’s why I think that it’s very unlikely that point of view. Syrians may go home.

In my opinion, the largest difference is the The Swiss approach time factor. When you escape from a war, you think that after a certain time you’ll go We are living the largest mass relocation, back to your Country and rebuild your own after WWII. The Syrian war, the African

10 11 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

12 13 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us. guerrilla warfare, and the still-standing tyr- too, feel suspicious towards the foreigner, annies, force millions people to leave their as if it could be a menace to that “well be- home, and even if many refugees stop their ing” status so hardly obtained in the past. run in the Middle East and African camps, others search shelter in Europe, crashing Institutionally, Switzerland has to check with a reality that often doesn’t match their the request of anybody seeking asylum, no expectation. matter how many, or any other constraint; the country’s Migration Secretary verifies Switzerland is proud of a long time standing if the applier fulfills the requirements set humanitarian tradition of sheltering, and of by Federal law for asylum, to see if the re- a spirit naturally inclined to multi culture, quester really needs political asylum. as a consequence of its historical origins: After a first acceptance in one of the col- a country born from the unity desire of its lective centers managed by the Confedera- inhabitants, that goes beyond its inner va- tion, the seeker is assigned to a Canton, riety of language and religion. while the examination process is complet- Fundamentally, Swiss people is well dis- ed. Each Canton is supposed to participate. posed towards foreigners, even if in re- The share set for each Canton depends on cent years, as social-economic conditions the density of the resident population; Can- changed, this attitude has been partly mod- ton Ticino has a share of 3.9% of all the ap- ified. Could it be because of the financial plications in the whole Switzerland. crisis of the banking system, or - particu- larly in the Ticino area - because of the The Cantons are requested to find struc- progressive replacement of the native man- tures to host applicants, to grant them Pub- power (especially in the Service Industry) lic Health Care, and to supply assistance. with “frontalieri” (NdT: people living in the The real integration starts when the appli- nearby Italy, and coming everyday to Swit- cant receives the permission to remain on zerland only to work), now Swiss people, the Helvetian territory.

14 15 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

16 17 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The review of the Law concerning asylum How the acceptance works points now to accelerate the decision (max. 140 days after its presentation), in order to The seeker reaches the Swiss boundary avoid that people have to wait for too a long and declares to the Police Officers that he/ time to know about its future, because that she wants to ask for asylum. He/she is then way integration becomes harder. The idle- accompanied to one of those centers man- ness and project lacking period, as much as aged by the Confederation and placed next the incertitude, brings the applicant to an to the boundaries (one is near Chiasso); apathy status difficult to exit. Furthermore, here he/she undergoes a medical exami- in this phase, it’s not uncommon that the nation aiming to exclude any contagious applicant looses his/her own self-esteem, disease. The fingerprints are recorded in and, perhaps, even the personal determi- an European Data Base, called Eurodac, nation to find a new, safe place, far from adopted as a consequence of the Dublin’s his/her home. Agreement, ruling the fact that the request- Even when the are no juridic reasons to ac- er may only appeal to one of the participat- cept the asylum, if the repatriation is out ing Countries; should he/she ask to another of question because it would put at risk the Country, the competence would remain in life of the seeker, the Confederation may charge of the first. Later, if time and bor- grant permission on humanitarian bases der pressure allow it, the Confederation set to remain on the Swiss territory, the so- a first hearing, in order to understand the called temporary admissions. These allow reasons of the requester to ask for asylum; the requester to live, work and integrate in then the examination phase begins, and in Switzerland, but not in a stable term. These a few months a decision is taken. During permissions are constantly reviewed by the this period, the requester is assigned to a Confederation, called to check the re-es- Canton. tablishment of the repatriate conditions in Cantons are free to organize the taking in the applicant’s Country home. charge of migrants: Canton Ticino has a

18 19 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

20 21 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us. centralized management, and does not de- of 13 seemed a sensible decision, later, mand this task to its districts. It avails it- with the increasing flows, it made patent self of two independent bodies, Swiss Red its limits. That’s why since a few years the Cross and Swiss Labourer’s Help (“Soccor- Canton works in collaboration with about so Operaio Svizzero”); they share the so- twenty resorts to house the applicants. cial assistance of the migrants depending on the housing: Red Cross has in charge Right now, Canton Ticino doesn’t allow to those living in the camps, Labourer’s Help house migrants in private residences, be- those living in flats. cause, even if there are positive aspects in the cohabitation with natives, there are The unpredictability of the migration flows negative as well, that should be strictly and their quick changes are characteristic supervised by means of a supporting and of the asylum world; this is the major chal- monitoring network, at present unavailable. lenge for Cantons, especially for the ca- pacity of acceptance structures. That’s why The integration the Confederation assignments to Cantons are issued daily, and just a day in advance. Conceptually, the applicant is almost an ab- stract entity with no face. It can be some- Today, Canton Ticino has two collective thing people talk about, the saddest stories centers (170 beds), but they can’t front the read on newspapers, or the poignant im- daily assignments. This is the consequence ages of incomparable drama watched on of a political and financial choice made just TV; but it’s something people got used to. after the beginning of the century, follow- It becomes real when you meet him/her on ing a legislative modification that caused the streets, at the supermarket or in the a strong decrease of the asylum seekers. kindergarten. The short distance nears US At the time, in Canton Ticino there were 13 to THEM; then the migrant gets a face, a collective centers. If at first to close 11 out story, and becomes human. Beyond each

22 23 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

24 25 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us. story, we find analogies that may reduce more generally, a different approach to life. distances between different worlds, when The first task asked to the migrant arriving they met. in Switzerland is to adapt to a reality very Getting closer in the work environment al- different from the one he/she imagined, of- lows the creation of a relationship, and fur- ten based on the tales of human smugglers, ther, makes the migrant feel useful to the who sell illusions only to increase their own community housing him/her. Equally useful business (the volume of migrants traders are the public conferences where migrants has long overcome the drug smugglers’ and tell their own stories and efforts to reach weapons’ ones). Europe. These moments create empathy with people that simple had the bad chance It’s not easy - nor for migrants, nor for na- of being born in an area where they can’t tives - to find a satisfactory balance. The live any longer. social support is then necessary, especially No matter the personal opinions on the in the first period, when it has to front the asylum problem, these meetings are surely many necessities that, eventually, will be- enriching on the human aspect. come less and less pressing in time. In the collective Centers managed by the The “olistic” approach Red Cross, the take in charge of migrants is well structured, thanks to the presence After the WWII’s one, this is the most rel- of educators, social helpers, nurses and evant migration phenomenon, for what con- teachers. An applicant is never left alone, cerns numbers. Right after acceptance, the and the integration process begins since greatest challenge is the integration. This the first moments. But this approach can’t means to pass from the language learn- be extended to the migrants housed in hos- ing, first, to the access to the job market. tels (about 300 people in 19 hostels). Between these two key points, there is a world full of tradition and religion; and,

26 27 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

28 29 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The situation in Switzerland workers, disputing over jobs. A foreigner, in a similar context, finds integration much In 2015, Switzerland recorded an increase more difficult here than in Germany. of 66% in asylum requests; nevertheless, It will be interesting, though, to observe the the housing and the support to the ap- future effects of these flows on the aging plicants have been ensured. In 2015 the population, as it is common knowledge that Balkan route has represented the most the applicants’ families are formed by 4 or frequented migration way, relieving the more people. In my opinion, the real rich- Southern Italy’s one and, consequently, the ness is the change that the arriving people migration weight upon Switzerland; that en- could bring to our life vision; our society is abled Canton Ticino to front these arrivals based on individualism and constant pur- with no panic. suit of the maximum financial profit; but The closing off of the boundaries on the these factors, as many surveys point out, Balkan route, the agreement for the return don’t procure us the desired happiness. A of Syrian refugees from Greece to Turkey new opportunity is then offered to us, thru and the closing of the Austrian boundary the help to people in need. As we ouselves will probably have new effects on Switzer- would be, had we been born in Syria or land, too, in 2016. The Confederation, any- Eritrea. There is no merit or demerit in it; way, envisaged an emergency plan in order from my point of observation, I see that the to grant acceptance of migrants; it is based solidarity tide is rising: some people offer on three numeric scenarios, and can be ac- Italian lessons, some other collect clothes, tivated in a few hours. other still lead tours for the migrants, to get to know our region. All these opportunities The German job market isn’t comparable - the volunteers report - fill their hearts with to the Swiss one, even less so to the Tici- joy. A change in the archetype? Maybe it’s no’s, coming from a long period of marked too early to say so, but I think it’s possible. competition between “frontalieri” and native I really hope so.

30 31 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

32 33 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The future in Switzerland ing walls that may solve this problem; at the and in Europe contrary, doing so just means helping human smugglers, allowing remorseless fig- Switzerland offers life conditions more than ures to get rich on other people’s miseries. fair to all seeking asylum, but it is impos- I think positive, and I’m sure that mankind sible to say how long we can guarantee - formed by social beings - will find a way to them. At a certain point we will probably put an end to the suffering of those forced have to review our parameters. I like to to leave their safe home for a future full of think that at that moment there will be a dangers. different, more enriching meeting, with no winners and no losers. Simply, two worlds called to live in the same area, so that they have to do it in the best way, balancing the loss of financial funding with another kind of reciprocal help, without need of chang- ing our values or moving our culture and tradition to the background.

Switzerland stands rooted on its history and culture. Well, it’s obvious that a small country may offer limited hospitality. Actu- ally, the only possible way is the adoption, by the EU, of the Swiss model for the management of the migrants, where each Can- ton is called by the Confederation to do its part. No other way EU can face the moving flows, that will go on. Surely, it’s not build-

34 35 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

36 37 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

A bit of clarity • A political refugee is a person whose asylum request has been accepted for • A migrant is a person moving for finan- one of the three preceding reasons: be- cial causes; he/she is trying to better cause his/her life is in danger for politi- his/her conditions, and isn’t forced to cal activism, religion or ethnic reasons. leave his/her own homeland; the word A refugee has asylum rights; if that’s the itself says it is a “moving” person. case, he/she will receive a blue pass- port, allowing him/her to travel all over • A refugee leaves his/her home be- the world; except to go back to his/her cause of wars or natural disasters, and homeland. that’s the difference from a migrant. The refugee simply escapes for safety reasons; he/she is not necessarily per- secuted and does not necessarily seek asylum; in the Red Cross camps there are many refugees waiting to know what will happen to their life; they wait that spirits calm down, that the situation clears, before going back home.

• An asylum seeker escapes from his/her home because his/her life is in danger, for political activism, religion or ethnic reasons; he/she asks protection to another Country. Also, anybody applying for asylum, and who has not yet received an answer.

38 39 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

40 41 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

AUTHOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Carmela Fiorini Matteo Fieni Chief of the Office for Asylum Seekers by the Cantone Born in 1976, he lives and works halfway between Ticino’s DSS, and co-ordinator for the Cantone Ticino Lugano and Zurich. Actually, he frequents Istituto Eu- in matters regarding asylum. She has previously wor- ropeo di Design (IED) in Milan, but he has long prac- ked, always for DSS, in the public Social Assistance ticed photography on a self-taught and experimental field, acquiring a large knowledge of the local social approach. He has received many acknowledgements, system. Born in 1971 at Winterthur, near Zurich, she among them the Swiss Photo Award, obtained with obtained a degree in Sciences of Communication, and “Good morning, Lugano”, 2012 edition (Ticinosette specialized in Health and Institutional Communication. 2012, 5: 39-45). The following year he has been awar- From 1997 to 2007 she has been City Council member ded the “2013 Artist of the Year” in the Bally Founda- at Gorduno Ticino, District Secretary and presidential tion for Culture, for “Metropolitan Portraits”, a current member of the Bellinzona section of the Partito Popo- that since 2010 “silently” criticizes the homologation in lare Democratico (People Democratic Party). Carmela photography. His interest goes deeper regarding the is PPD representant in the ABAD, Associazione Bel- privacy in the mass photography era; in “Privacy-Free linzonese per l’assistenza e la cura a domicilio, (Bel- Zone”, Matteo employs photography to link Law and linzona’s Association for Assistance and Home Care). Contemporary Art. In 2016 he founds his own exhibi- Actually, she is member of the City Council of Bellin- tion concept, called “F camera”, a place dedicated to zona and of the Town Planning Committee. She colla- innovative contemporary research in photography. He borates with “Rivista di Locarno” and “Turrita” magazi- is actually working on a very structured system, the nes, and she is member of the supporting committee new series “Barcodes”, with Philip K. Dick-like cyber- of this last. She is one of the founders of the Associa- punk/avant pop influences. zione Bellinzona Vive; she is member of the Pastoral Counseling of the Capuchin friars of Bellinzona and www.matteofieni.ch seats in the “Casa Faro” Founders Counseling. Carmela has a 20 years old daughter, Clarissa, and she is granny of a beautiful baby girl.

42 43 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

Metropolitan Portraits: the project common point to all the performers. The image construction defines the horizon line, high The project “Ritratti Metropolitani” (Metropolitan Por- lightening geometric correspondences among perspec- traits), or RM, much awarded and spanning five whole tive lines. The project’s focal point is the specific atten- years, now counts more than 5000 pictures. It was star- tion posed to the strict observance of these rules; it evol- ted in Ticinese and Swiss places, but later crossed the ves in a critical and continuous repetition of the same borders. Just to say, the last cycle of images, achieved in scheme. But nevertheless, this never ending reiteration 2014 - thanks to the Bally Award - and called “From B to forces the artist to a constant renewal, year after year, Y”, collects situations from Balkans (Albany, Bosnia and of his own work, in order to make it perfectible by small Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro adjustments. and Serbia) as well as from other European countries (Belgium, France and Italy). Bound to the street photo- Potentially, this peculiar modus operandi accumulates a graphy culture, the photographer portraits a very large huge number of serial photographs in a gigantic archive, number of peoples in public places, preferring everyday where the only change, in each session, is the different frames to the quest of unique moments. This project, person under the lens. Larger the number of the captu- formed by series of snapshots in sequence, consists in red subjects, greater the attention in portraying different portraits of passers-by framed in a pre-set, clear sche- societies, cultures and religions. Similarly, the interest in- me. In a carefully chosen place (a street, a place or a creases, too, for the collection of details on the territorial park), all the subjects are taken one by one on a white transformations where these subjects are set. square laid on the ground, as a legacy of the photography studio’s backcloth. Standing at the center, subjects at full Rosangela Cuffaro figure take up about two thirds of a strictly unchanging frame, while modifications occur to the scenery, be it an urban space, a natural landscape, or an interior. The white square where the participants stay is a legacy from the photography studio, and it isolates the subject from the surrounding. At the same time, however, it represents a

44 45 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

The photos Pages 36-37 Cover RM56 BY09 #11 RM76 BY29 #02 14-06-2014 - Bileća (BiH) 11-9-2014 - Escalle (FR) Pages 40-41 Pages 8-9 RM73 BY26#31 RM53 BY06 #08 24–08-2014 - Zürich (CH) 23-06-2014 - Hajvali (RKS)

Pages 12-13 For more information visit the website: RM49 BY02 #11 www.ritrattimetropolitani.ch/62 14-06-2014 - Beograd (SRB)

Pages16-17 RM56 BY09 #04 14-06-2014 - Bileća (BiH)

Pages 20-21 RM77 BY30 #10 13–09-2014 - Bruxelles (B)

Pages 24-25 RM61 BY14 #17 11–07-2014 - Ulcinj (MNE)

Pagine 28-29 RM62 BY15 #07 13–07-2014 - Shirokë (AL)

Pages 32-33 RM73 BY26#31 24–08-2014 - Zürich (CH)

46 47 We are all migrants. We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

GENTLETUDE

Gentletude is a neologism composed of the words “gen- tilezza” (gentleness/kindness) and “attitudine” (attitude). It pursues the aims for a better world without violence, ar- rogance and rudeness. A world where caring and paying attention to others, common sense and balanced competitivity are the most impor- tant things. The production provided by the association was complete- ly free, based on the Commons Creative Criteria. Gentle- tude in Italy is a non-profit organization (NPO), and in Swit- zerland is a non-profit association.

Contact Gentletude on the website: www.gentletude.com

48 49 We are all migrants. The kind meeting between Them and Us.

It becomes real when you meet him/her on the streets, at the supermarket or in the kindergarten. The short distance nears US to THEM; then the migrant gets a face, a story, and becomes human. Beyond each story, we find analogies that may reduce distances between different worlds, when they met.