integration
In a country of 400, 000 muslims, the Swiss vote to ban minarets
On 29 November, the people of Switzerland voted to ban the construction of new minarets. The referendum initiated by the Swiss people's party and the conservative federal democratic union has dealt a severe blow to religious peace in the country, write the Estonian, Swiss, Portuguese and Austrian press
integration, switzerland, secularity, religion, neutrality, vote, euweek
Backstage: story of a Senegalese street vendor in Rome
‘La petite vendeuse de soleil’ is a moving film first shown at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival in the 'director's fortnight' category. It tells the story of a young Senegalese girl who is a street vendor for the newspaper ‘Soleil’, a common job for immigrants living in European cities. Off the cinema screens, we meet Ndjogou Thiongane in Rome, who accompanies us on a visit to the great mosque, and tells us his own story
integration, moschee, rome, immigration, senegal, illegal immigrants, society
Spain-EU: confusing electoral 'auberge espagnole'
Debates on Europe in Spain are frequently a misleading paradox. On the one hand, public opinion is attached to the European Union, which facilitated the economic and political modernisation of the country. On the other, the lack of 'political pedagogy', the campaign for the European elections in June being no exception, leaves the EU as a distant and unknown political reality
integration, european constitution, rodríguez zapatero, mariano rajoy, money, power, spain
Björn Kuhligk at Frankfurt book fair 2008
Turkey is the guest of honour at this year‘s Frankfurt Book Fair between 15 – 19 October. Interview with the author from Kreuzberg, Berlin, who spent a month in Eskişehir as a ‘city writer’
integration, björn kuhligk, lyrik, berlin-kreuzberg, germany, berlin, culture
Jacques Barrot on immigration: ‘member states are compelled to solidarity’
Stopping in Paris for a citizen hearing on 2 October, the vice president of the European commission, and head of the ‘Justice, Freedom and Security’ directorate general, on the controversial path of the EU's immigration policies. Interview
integration, labour, european elections 2009, blue card, eu debate on the ground, eudebate2009, demography
Mika Waltari: from Helsinki to Istanbul
2008: the EU’s year for intercultural dialogue and the centenary of Finnish writer Mika Waltari’s birth, who travelled Helsinki to Istanbul by train in 1929. For the integration train, Turkey may be only a stop along the way, but a necessary one. Imaginary journey via Berlin
integration, dialogue, nouveaux pays membres, mika waltari, finland, islam, literature
Turkish love story on Danish shores
With 3.8 million Turkish immigrants in the EU, we head to Denmark with the seventh largest Turkish population in Europe. Aydin Ozturk, 50, settled in Odense with a Danish partner and found his place in society
integration, identity, odense, western eu, love, istanbul, european union
Didier Awadi: 'Artists too often have big egos'
The Senegalese hip hop pioneer, 38, invites his fellow rappers to speak out and campaign for a harmonious continent with his latest album 'Presidents of Africa'. Plus an exclusive video interview from Dakar
integration, racism, brunch, discrimination, development, audio, senegal
1968: a tour of Europe's revolts
Spain, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Poland and Germany - spinning through Europe's uprisings during that infamous year of rebellion
integration, freedom of opinion, italy, welfare state, purchasing power, protest, socialism
