INVITATION 14km and closer – MENA Network Party On April 24  between 6pm and 10pm at Restaurant Argana Stephanstr. 19, Berlin (Moabit)   14km e.V. invites you to an afterwork MENA network party: in order to get to know other interesting people, exchange experiences and get creative. The event brings together different kinds of people who deal with the North African/Middle Eastern region (in main profession or as volunteers). In a relaxed environment you will have the opportunity to make contacts for your work in and with the region – accompanied by Arab alternative sound (Arab Reggae, Ska, Indi Rock, Rai, Dub, Fusion) put on by JZR Crew. Since we would like to provide a network platform for people from many different fields of work, feel free to forward this invitation to other interested persons – for example from science, NGOs/associations, social initiatives, political foundations, media, arts and culture, politics and administration, and business. We look forward to an inspiring exchange! Participation is free, yet due to limited space please RSVP via email to mai.micklisch@14km.org. We will welcome you with a special drink. Tasty Moroccan food and further alcohol free drinks can be purchased at the location. We look forward to welcoming you there! The 14km team View Larger Map

Our sixth Arab Film and Discussion Event was again very well attended – on the 2nd of April 2014 at 6:30pm every corner of the Filmrauschpalast was taken by almoust 80 people to watch the film “Libya, the revolution and me”and to subsequently discuss the film, the Libyan revolution of 2011 and the current political and social situation in Libya. The film approaches the revolution from the perspective of the film maker Nicole Nagel, who arrives in Libya for work and starts portraying the rebels and their fight against Gaddafi. She conveys her personal impressions, shows families, women and children surrounding the rebels and creates an emotional picture of the revolutionaries' situation. The film gets closer and closer to the insurgents, accompanying them until the front lines. After the revolution she returns to Libya, meeting again with her old companions. In spite of the euphoria caused by the victory, one of the young fighters provides a thoughtful end to the film, uttering that in the face of the lack of a new constitution the real fight for Libya's freedom was only about to start. Consequently, the reform of the Libyan society was the main topic of the following discussion. With the audience’s lively participation the film maker Nicole Nagel, media scholar and Libya expert Dr. Carola Richter (FU Berlin), and the president of the Libyan Community in Germany Same Ghati provided lots of information and different points of view regarding various questions. Complemented by personal impressions from a young Libyan in the audience a very broad picture of current developments arose. The conversation's topics were for instance the financing of the rebels in 2011 and of the militia today, the hard–to-develop democracy, security issues and unstable power structures, freedom of speech and press, the Libyan cinematic culture, the comparatively high standard of welfare and education, and the influence of the Europeans before and after the revolution. The event was presented by Andreas Fricke (14km e.V.). Thanks go to Mai Micklisch (intern at 14km e.V.) and Johanna Kramer (14km e.V.) as well as the Filmrauschpalast team for their organisational help and support. Photography by Helena Burgrova. We thank the audience for their participation! In regular intervals we screen films which deal with different Arab countries and subsequently discuss the films and the current social and political situation in the respective countries with guests from Berlin Moabit as well as with country experts, always aiming to make links to North-South relationships. The next Arab Film and Discussion Event will take place on 13th of May 2014 at Zille-Haus Moabit. The project receives financial support in the context of the quarter management Moabit Ost through funds from the Programme Social City (EU, Federal Government, and Federal State of Berlin). Carola Richter commits herself to international dialogue and a scientifically sound perspective on Islam and the Arab World at eurient e.V. German newspaper article about Same Ghati and the Libyan Community of Berlin during the revolution against Gaddafi (Tagesspiegel 02/03/2011 "Libyer in Berlin: Im Widerstand zusammenwachsen" by Karin Christmann)