· June, 2013

Stories about Western Europe from June, 2013

Ninety Countries Meet for Global Conference Against Death Penalty

  28 June 2013

Representatives of 90 countries participated in the 5th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Madrid, Spain. Some of the key topics discussed were the abolition of the death penalty, along with the related issues of adherence to human rights treaties, the procurement of a moratorium in death penalty convictions, and legal reforms.

Composer's Ode to Turkish Protesters

  28 June 2013

German musician Davide Martello performed live during the protests in Istanbul's Taksim Square. This track is dedicated to the Soldiers of Light, the victims of this insane violence by the turkish government. Composed during the protests in Istanbul two weeks ago… live in the crowds on Taksim Square. That's how...

Amnesty Report Accuses Spanish Government of Obstructing Justice

  26 June 2013

Time passes, impunity remains, the new Amnesty International report published on June 17, 2013, analyses the investigation of crimes committed during Spain's Civil War and the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. The organization accuses the Spanish government of protecting the impunity of the crimes committed during this period.

Senegalese to France: Dignity Before Visa

  24 June 2013

I decided to decline using my entry visa to France [..] I am waiving it off on behalf of the thousands of Senegalese citizens who deserve respect, a respect that they are often denied at the French consulate. Those are the words written by Bousso Dramé in an open letter...

Interview: “How Are Things in Bamako, Mali?”

  19 June 2013

At the time of writing, June 2013, France is still fighting Islamists in Mali. Paris-based Anne Morin and Awa Traoré, her friend in Bamako decided to share a video journal of their conversations on Skype on YouTube. Anne wanted to stay up to date with the region's news, and also with her friends. She told Global Voices' Anna Gueye more about this journal as well as her links with Mali.

Open Letter to Germany's Cultural Foundation

  19 June 2013

Safia Dickersbach (@ArtsSafia) challenges a new programme dedicated to foster “German-African cultural relations”: 3. The Kulturstiftung claims to support the new African initiatives in the area of contemporary and innovative art. But on the other hand: a. Africans are not allowed to apply for the funds directly. b. The African...

European Award for Helping Victims of the Spanish Mortgage Crisis

  14 June 2013

The European Parliament has awarded its European Citizen's prize to the Mortgage Victims Platform, a Spanish grassroots organization that helps those affected by the housing crisis and champions legal reforms of mortgage lending practices. The ruling party had harsh words for the award, while netizens were strongly in favour.

René Pérez of Calle 13 Writes Song with Julian Assange

  12 June 2013

Puerto Rican hip hop star René Pérez (@Calle13Oficial) of the band Calle 13 announced today [es] through Twitter that he is with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where Assange was given refuge after being accused of a sexual crime in Sweden. Pérez will be live on...

Solutions Journalism Without Borders

  10 June 2013

“Worldcrunch Impact, solutions without borders” is a collaborative funding campaign for “the first truly global effort at Solutions Journalism”. With the project, Paris-based Worldcrunch hopes to report on one urgent issue monthly, offering “not just the problems, but real solutions”. The project will be funded if at least $15,000 is pledged...

Rwanda: NGO's Pursuit for Justice against Perpetrators of Genocide

  9 June 2013

Rwanda remembered the start of the genocide on April 7, as they have done every year since 1994. In the 19 years following the genocide, the hunt for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity has never ceased. In France, the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda (CPCR) is one of the organisations that fight against impunity. Its Chairman, Alain Gauthier, answered some questions by Global Voices author Abdoulaye Bah:

Catalan Wikipedia Receives Official Recognition

  7 June 2013

Amical Wikimedia, the association that promotes Viquipedia, the Catalan Wikipedia, has got a chapter of its own within the international structure of the Wikimedia Foundation. This recognition comes after a five-year-long discussion to be recognized as representative of a unique language and culture, as previous criteria required chapters to represent...

Mozambique: Mia Couto's 30 Years of Literature Honored with Prestigious Prize

  6 June 2013

Mia Couto's three decades at the helm of Mozambican literature was acknowledged on the 27 May when he was awarded the 25th Camões Prize in literature, worth 100,000 euros, and widely considered the most prestigious prize for Portuguese-speaking writers. Mia's literature portrays Mozambicans and reflects on issues related to decolonization and identity.

Norwegian Music Video Offends Kyrgyzstanis

  6 June 2013

For small, landlocked and little-known countries such as Kyrgyzstan, "self-branding" is a slow and difficult process. So, when stars from foreign countries arrive to shoot a video in your countryside, the hope is that the message they take home with them is the right one. But unfortunately, it doesn't always work out like that.

France's Employment Law Tries to Please Businesses, Workers

  1 June 2013

On April 9, France's National Assembly approved a new bill on employment--a legal transposition that successfully sanctions months of negotiations, during which the social partners agreed to improve business flexibility without compromising worker safety.