…”Europeans are pretty generous on the whole, maybe Ms Merkel and Mr Cameron are the exception. There are 500 million people in the EU and actually, it wouldn’t cost each person much to just sort it out ourselves. I’m confident the people of Europe will get this campaign and some time soon we’ll all be raising a glass of Ouzo …”

check out https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/greek-bailout-fund/x/11277167#/story

As I stated various times my photographic project “Borderlands: The Edges of Europe” is not motivated by any sort of political ideology, however dealing with borders, their history and the relations between countries always ends up involving some aspects of politics. My interest is focused on the european cultural identity and its trans-national and trans-cultural aspects, how european people relate to the territories they inhabit, territories which are removed from the capital cities which are the centres of power.

In the recent months more than ever the EU has been under scrutiny: in the UK where I live the recent election won by the Conservatives will result on a referendum as to stay or leave the EU. Meanwhile the greek economic crisis has reached a new low, and Greek will have soon a referendum on whether they want or not to accept the bailout conditions. The greek referendum is seen by many as a “stay or leave europe”.

How can Europe even exists without Greece? Greece is the cradle of mediterranean culture. The idea that the grrek have to pay up or agree to financial conditions that would put a huge burden on them, and would mean that their country is sold off…well, I find it fairly disgusting.

This situation leaves me saddened. I was brought up with an education that was very pro-europe, in school we were told how we had to be proud that Italy was one of the founding members of the  EU, which benefits it had and it was always underlined how with the EU european countries would be co-hoperating, how our cultures had common aspects, how since the EU had started there had been no wars…my grandmother, which had lived through 2 wars, always told me how in difficult times, italians had gone to fight to help the greek and spaniards against dictatorships, and how they had done the same for us.  So: a common culture, a will to get on together…

…move forward 20 years…all I hear is “money”. You have money, you are in. You can’t pay you are out. There are pro and cons to the debate, and I can see right and wrong on both sides of the argument. Interesting articles on The Guardian or – for those of you who read italian – an article that shows how other countries have been bailed out without so much fuss or an article in La Stampa  which highlights Tsipras mistakes. But I firmly believe that, at this stage, it’s a bit ridicolus to discuss who did what and who’s fault it is. A bit like, the boat is sinking and rather than getting to safety we are all arguing who’s fault it is.

I was positively surprised to see that and Englishman has started a crowfunding campaign. 

Every day I spend €10 or more on silly things. This morning I spent about €6 on an overpriced breakfast in Costa Cafe, and it wasn’t even nice. Every day I pay taxes for politicians I don’t even like and whose words are alien to me. Everyday someone in the House of Parliament will have a free breakfast with my tax money, and I am ready to bet it costs more than a tenner.Everyone I know has their like and dislikes and donate to a cause or the other…so why not donating a little bit to help the Greeks? I have donated €10 because I want to keep the hope that Europeans are able to have goodwill and empathy, and help someone in need without asking anything back.

(below, little flags in the town of Marasia, Greek-Turkish border)

flags in the garden, Marasia, Greece-Turkey Border