Greece
We are collecting here messages, articles, stories and references of Solidarity economy initiatives in response to the Covid19 pandemic crisis and its consequences, to share and exchange experiences and efforts from member networks and other organisations. If you wish to contribute, please write to : info@ripess.eu
Press release of the Greek initiative, supported by our member, DOCK: “Let’s stay together”
Press release of ‘We Stay Together’ Initiative
The digital platform ‘We Stay Together’ | menoumemazi.org aims at creating a hub for collecting and disseminating information as well as providing digital and other tools that sustain ideas and practices of solidarity and grassroots organization during this pandemic period. This is a self-organized and self-funded initiative by individuals concerned with new technologies, research and collaborative economy and who felt the urge to act collaboratively.
Our point of departure has been to reveal ways that while ‘staying at home’ we ‘do not stay by ourselves or doing nothing’.
Our motto ‘Do Something’ has two axes:
- The first, ‘Support your Neighbor’ refers to action-based solidarity in our blocks of flats and neighborhoods; for this reason, we provide ideas and material on how each one of us can look for and support those who are or feel alone and without material or psychological support. We also provide an index of mutual aid groups already active in various neighborhoods across the country.
- The second axis, ‘Support your Work’, runs in parallel with the first and is about demanding our labour rights in an era of massive abuses by employers; for this reason, a tool of denunciations is provided (anonymous, if needed) which are then carried forward to the relevant grassroots unions that act accordingly. We also provide an index of unions as well as a Q&As guide for labour rights drafted by specialists.
The platform contains three more units in an effort to contribute holistically to this period of crisis.
The first concerns communication tools that we host and support, such as teleconference or chat, and that we make available to communities for improving their digital organization. Along with these, we also provide information for already existing digital infrastructures, along with an initiative for an open network of collaboration and interaction for the open 3d printing of hospital equipment.
The second unit puts forward solidarity campaigns and initiatives across the country and abroad. Our aim is not to remain inactive but demand more- in what concerns the public health system, student accommodation, labor conditions – and for all of us, especially for those who are mostly harmed but remain invisible – such as homeless people who cannot ‘stay at home’, migrants who are packed in camps, sex workers or prisoners. In ‘News’ we inform on aspects of the above.
The third unit contains useful and accurate information on a series of issues we deem important, such as ‘psychological support’, ‘voluntary blood donation’, ‘disability support’, while in ‘entertainment’ we gather material on sharing books, theatrical shows, films, children’s’ activities and more.
The platform ‘we stay together’ talks about how we create networks of mutual aid in our neighborhoods and how we support each other while resisting those we utilize this crisis so as to make profit and introduce disciplinary and excluding ideas and policies. We must not remain isolated but protect each other and dynamically demand to get over this period all together and in a world we deserve.
