Berlin protests against the war in Ukraine, by Lewin Bormann, CC BY-SA.
While many of us are likely still grappling with the effects of the ongoing pandemic, the world was faced just a week ago with another shock of a curveball: a violent war that is closer outside our own door than many of us expected. witness. The Ukrainian people have had to deal with the aggression of the obnoxious neighboring autocrat for so long now that we in Western Europe have already pushed this ongoing conflict into our subconscious. But now it’s hard to ignore and it’s a stark wake-up call to the rest of Europe about the unstable nature of the world we believe we live in.
The response from the peoples of other European countries has been overwhelmingly positive towards the Ukrainian people. It is moving to see how people have not only massively expressed their solidarity and sympathy in countless marches for freedom and peace across the continent (also from Russia), but also how many have organized help and support in terms of transport, supplies and accommodation for the refugees. from Ukraine. This may be a biased impression, but I can only hope that the determination and efficiency of the PEOPLE will also inspire more BUSINESSES and GOVERNMENTS to follow suit.
Although I am positively surprised by the Europeans’ response, I cannot help but be disappointed to see that there seems to be a clear distinction between the country at war to which the Europeans feel most sympathetic and the role that ethnicity plays into it. But for this blog post, I would like to stay focused on the positive, if I may.
Berlin protests against the war in Ukraine, photos by Lewin Bormann, CC BY-SA.
The level of activism I have witnessed among my personal friends and my wider circle here in Berlin has really impressed me. Last Sunday’s demonstration was one of the largest we have ever seen in Berlin. Many of my peers bent over backwards and stopped their own work and projects to help Ukrainians in need by providing shelter, helping them get to Berlin, or organizing supplies. I find this very honorable and I am proud of everyone who is showing this level of compassion and dedication at this time – especially since I know that many of us have not yet fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic. I would like to offer this space on iHeartBerlin to draw attention to some initiatives that I have seen around me. If you have the time, the strength and the resources, I ask you to support them as well.
Support for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC refugees from Ukraine
Most famously released by Berlin-based fashion label GmbH, a group of self-organized creative workers commute and shelter refugees from Ukraine with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC because these marginalized groups have notably encountered many greatest challenges at the borders of Ukraine’s more conservative neighboring countries. The group takes care of transportation, but is looking for people who can accommodate individuals or families for 1 or 2 weeks and be there to support them. If you want to support this initiative or get involved, you can contact Emilia Margulies on Instagram or via her eMail emilia@emiliamargulies.com.
If you are wondering what black people and people of color have to do with the war in Ukraine and why they need special support in these times, you might want to read what is happening to Africans living in Ukraine at the borders of Poland and Germany and how you can support them here.
The black-led self-help coalition Tubman Network is also mobilizing people to match hosts and possible accommodations with black refugees arriving from Ukraine. Contact help@tubman.network if you have any leads or would like to help.
Accommodation network for Ukrainian refugees
Several organizations help connect Ukrainian refugees arriving in Germany and Germans with free space in their apartments and houses to shelter them. One of them is a group effort of several companies called Unterkunft Ukraine which offers a platform with easy forms to find and offer short-term accommodation.
Business platforms such as Airbnb and Wunderflats have also launched specific initiatives to connect hosts with Ukrainian refugees to offer free or discounted accommodation.
Clubculture United for Ukraine
The reopening of clubs in Berlin after a second, very long pandemic-related lockdown this weekend couldn’t come at a more bizarre time. But the Berlin club scene is known for its rapid activism thanks to its own lobby, the Clubs Commission, which has rallied many clubs to join the Club Culture United campaign for Ukraine. Participating clubs and parties will do a variety of things, such as donating a portion of their opening weekend proceeds to charities or raising donations with their own fundraising campaigns. Some clubs and parties that are already members are Birgit & Bier, Gegen, WHOLE Festival, Void, SO36, Schwuz, Else & Renate, Zur Klappe, Panke and many more.
Become a volunteer helper
If you have time and energy to spare, even driving a car or could you help as a translator? There are several arrival points in Berlin, for example at the main train station, Ostbahnhof, and at the ZOB, where trains and buses of refugees in need of assistance arrive daily. Here is a collection of useful information for people who want to become supporters.
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by Franc
March 4, 2022
in Stories