Il-Moviment Graffitti ġie mwaqqaf fl-1994 bħala għaqda xellugija li tiġġieled kontra l-oppressjoni u l-isfruttament tan-nies, l-ambjent u l-annimali. Ħamsa u għoxrin sena wara, il-Moviment Graffitti għadu jissielet sabiex iżomm u jkabbar spazju mhux partiġġjan fejn il-poplu jkun jista’ jaħdem għal soċjetà ġusta u kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar. Meta nħarsu lura lejn dawn il-25 sena li għaddew naraw firxa wiesgħa ta’ kampanji li missew ma’ ħafna temi differenti, bħal dawk marbuta mal-ħolqien ta’ ekonomija aktar ġusta u drittijiet tal-ħaddiem; oħrajn marbuta mal-ħarsien tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem u l-kisba tal-ugwaljanza; bosta kampanji kontra l-qerda ambjentali u favur spazji pubbliċi; inizjattivi kontra l-moħqrija tal-annimali; u azzjonijiet ta’ solidarjetà internazzjonali.

Dan kollu kien possibbli grazzi għall-kontribut ta’ ħafna nies, fosthom iż-żgħażagħ li waqqfu l-Moviment Graffitti, il-persuni kollha li f’xi punt kienu attivi fih, u dawk l-eluf li kkollaboraw miegħu jew għenu b’xi mod jew ieħor.

Ser inkunu qed niċċelebraw dan kollu permezz ta’ sett ta’ inizjattivi bl-isem ta’ R/Evoluzzjoni: 25 Sena ta’ Attivizmu, ġewwa l-uffiċini tagħna f’67, Triq id-Dejqa, l-Belt Valletta.

Matul il-11, 12 u 13 t’Ottubru l-pubbliku ser ikun jista’ jżur wirja li turi, permezz ta’ bosta ritratti u materjal ieħor, il-kwart ta’ seklu tal-Moviment Graffitti sa mill-ġranet tal-bidu nett. Il-wirja se tkun miftuħa: il-Ġimgħa: 6.30pm – 10pm; is-Sibt: 10am – 1pm u 4pm – 10pm; u l-Ħadd: 3pm – 8pm.

Il-ftuħ tal-wirja se jsir il-Ġimgħa 11 t‘Ottubru fis-7pm billi jintwera għall-ewwel darba d-dokumentarju R/Evoluzzjoni25, li jinkludi intervisti ma’ persuni li segwew l-istorja tal-Moviment tul is-snin fosthom il-ġurnalisti James Debono u Karl Schembri, membri tal-passat bħal Christian Mizzi u Mary Grace Vella, it-trejdunjonista Sammy Meilaq u ħafna oħrajn, kif ukoll filmati ta’ azzjonijiet antiki u riċenti tal-Moviment. Id-dokumentarju huwa bil-Malti u b’sottotitoli bl-Ingliż.

Is-Sibt 12 t’Ottubru fis-7pm se nospitaw diskussjoni dwar l-Attiviżmu f’Sistema b’Żewġ Partiti, b’panel ta’ kelliema li se jinkludi lil Angele Deguara, Michael Briguglio u Sammy Meilaq. Se nkunu qed nistaqsu x’inhu r-rwol tal-movimenti attivisti fis-soċjetà Maltija, kif ukoll x’għandha tkun ir-relazzjoni tal-attivisti mal-partiti politiċi, u jekk l-attiviżmu tassew jistax jinfluwenza l-politika filwaqt li jibqa’ indipendenti mill-partiti.

Id-dħul għall-iljieli kollha huwa b’xejn.

Filwaqt li tul is-snin il-Moviment Graffitti biddel l-istrateġiji tiegħu u l-kwistjonijiet li jiffoka fuqhom, fil-qalba tiegħu baqa’ dejjem movement xellugi li jiġbor nies minn sfondi differenti bil-għan li jaħdmu flimkien għal dinja aktar ħielsa u ġusta. Aħna determinati li nkomplu f’din it-triq tul is-snin li ġejjin.

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Moviment Graffitti celebrates its 25th Anniversary with a number of events

Moviment Graffitti was founded in 1994 as a left-wing organisation fighting against the oppression and exploitation of people, the environment and animals. Twenty-five years later, Moviment Graffitti is still struggling to maintain and to keep expanding a non-partisan space where people will be able to work for a just society and a better quality of life. Looking back at these past 25 years, we see a wide range of campaigns that touched upon different themes, such as those linked to the creation of a more just economy and workers’ rights; others addressing human rights and the achievement of equality; many campaigns against environmental destruction and in favour of public spaces; initiatives against animal cruelty; and actions showing international solidarity.

All this was possible thanks to the contribution of many people, such as the young people who set up Moviment Graffitti, all the persons that were active in the organisation along the years and the thousands that collaborated with it or helped in one way or another.

We will be celebrating all this by means of a set of initiatives with the name, R/Evolution: 25 years of Activism, at our premises at 67, Strait Street, Valletta.

During the 11th, 12th and 13th of October, the public will be able to visit an exhibition showing, through various photographs and other material, the quarter of a century of Moviment Graffitti from its very beginning.  The exibition will be open on Friday: 6.30pm – 10pm; on Saturday: 10am – 1pm and 4pm – 10pm; and on Sunday: 3pm – 8pm.

The opening of the exhibition will take place on Friday, 11th October at 7pm where the documentary R/Evoluzzjoni25 will be shown for the first time. This includes interviews with persons who followed the story of the Movement through the years, such as journalists James Debono and Karl Schembri, past members such as Christian Mizzi and Mary Grace Vella, trade unionist Sammy Meilaq and many others, as well as film clips of both old and recent actions of the Movement. The documentary is in Maltese with English subtitles.

On Saturday 12th October at 7pm we will be hosting a discussion on Activism in a Two-Party System with a panel of speakers that includes Angele Deguara, Michael Briguglio and Sammy Meilaq. We will be discussing the role of social activist movements in Maltese society, as well as exploring the relationship between activists and political parties and whether activism can actually influence politics while remaining independent of political parties.

The entrance to all events is free.

While along the years, Moviment Graffitti has changed its strategies and the issues that it focuses on, its roots and core have always remained on the left, attracting people from diverse backgrounds with the scope of working together for a freer and more just world. We are determined to continue going in the same direction in the years to come.