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The Left Group in the European Parliament will be in Naples, Italy from Monday (24/9) to Thursday (27/9) as part of its ‘study days’ to meet with civil society and social actors to better understand pressing issues from a local perspective.
Over three-days, MEPs will visit pioneering and innovative grassroots projects for social change such as the “Famiglia di Maria” foundation, where they will meet with social workers and teachers, and visit the “Centro sociale Je so’ pazzo” in the neighbourhood of Materedei.
MEPs will also host debates on tackling unemployment and precarious work, countering the far right, fighting austerity and public debt, opposing militarisation and solving the refugee crisis. Mayor of Naples Luigi de Magistris will take part in the final panel on Wednesday discussing strategies to fight neoliberal treaties and exploring paths for change in Europe.
Speaking ahead of the trip, MEP Eleonora Forenza (L'Altra Europa, Italy) says Naples has an inspiring model of social change from below that MEPs can learn from:
“Our study days in Naples will focus on building a real alternative for Europe. An alternative against austerity and neoliberal policies and against their very real consequences: racism and nationalism.”
“Taking an alternative path to Juncker and Salvini, we will discuss solutions for the economy, work conditions, basic income, common goods, peace and rights for all European citizens and workers, regardless of whether they are migrants or not.”
“Naples has been an example of a possible alternative, as part of both a network of rebel municipalities in southern Europe and an active voice in the “open the ports” campaign,” Forenza concluded.