Sitara Thalia Ambrosio

Photojournalist and Visual Storyteller.
    
Taz die Tageszeitung: A room in the Nazi neighborhood.
Public Project
Taz die Tageszeitung: A room in the Nazi neighborhood.
Copyright Sitara Thalia Ambrosio 2024
Updated Mar 2024
Young people with and without a history of migration are opening the "International Center for Democracy and Action" in Chemnitz at the beginning of March. Between racist attacks and organized neo-Nazis, they offer a space for different communities to network. Free language courses and legal advice are now available in a store at Gießerstraße 36 in the Sonnenberg district. Lectures, evening events and women's meetings are also planned for the future. Fatima Maged is the chairwoman of the association and has been working with an international team to set up the "IZDA" for a year and a half. "We want our needs to be represented in the media and in politics. This is not a given and must be created," says Maged.
→ The Story - written by Michael Trammer.

Internationally, the city of Chemnitz gained a place on the world stage in 2018 with serious right-wing extremist riots and manhunts for people perceived as "foreign". Magedd's German-born brother was hunted himself in 2018, fell and ended up in hospital with a concussion. For those affected, their families and all those affected by racism and right-wing violence, the riots continue to have an impact to this day. The same applies to the sense of power of the extreme right- wing perpetrators, who can be neighbors, colleagues or passers-by on the street.

In fact, racist attacks occur again and again in Chemnitz. The city was chosen as the European Capital of Culture 2025 because of the way it dealt with the right-wing extremist riots during the bid. However, those affected say that they are regularly subjected to racist hostility in everyday life. This ranges from subtle glances and insults to physical attacks. Week after week, the right-wing extremist "Freie Sachsen" march through the city. The scene is well networked. State and local elections will be held in Saxony in 2024. The right-wing extremists can expect success. It is still unclear how strong they will be and whether the AfD could even be part of a possible coalition.

The group around the IZDA decided after numerous experiences of its own: Something has to change about the situation in Chemnitz. The IZDA team has high hopes for the women's meetings that will take place regularly in the future. Because there is a lack of spaces in Chemnitz, especially for migrant women. "I hope that the women will trust us," says 20-year-old student Dania Yabroudi, who is also involved in the association.
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Taz die Tageszeitung: A room in the Nazi neighborhood. by Sitara Thalia Ambrosio
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