PUBLIC SPACE. FINDING A VOICE LEGISLATION AND EVENTS

compiled by Gerhard Hetfleisch

12 September 1980

Military coup in Turkey; numerous protests followed.

2 July 1985

Ausländerberatungsstelle Tirol (Tyrolean Counselling Centre for Foreigners) opened by Verein zur Betreuung und Beratung von AusländerInnen in Tirol (Association for the Support and Counselling of Foreigners in Tyrol); became the Centre for Migrants in Tyrol (ZeMiT) in 1997.

1989

Ararat Campaign: campaign for the reformation of aliens law, equal treatment in welfare law and voting rights for aliens.

1990 – 1993

Tyrolean Anti-Racism Hotline established by Verein Interkulturell zur Beratung und Unterstützung bei rassistischen Vorfällen (Intercultural Association for Counselling and Support in Racist Incidents).

1991

“Long March against Aliens Laws and Xenophobia” from Vorarlberg to Vienna. Initiative Minderheiten (Minorities Initiative) established with offices in Tyrol and Vienna; publisher of the magazine “Stimme” (Voice) since 1991. Plattform Tirol für Kurden (Tyrolean Platform for Kurds): Lorry with a medical treatment container and equipment purchased with the help of a Tyrolean fundraising campaign and sent to the Kurdish area of northern Iraq (Kuwait crisis, US Operation Desert Storm).

1992

“Stations” campaign with numerous exhibits in Innsbruck’s Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse and in front of the Landhaus.

1992/1994

Numerous civil society activities in support of refugees from regions affected by the civil war in the former Yugoslavia.

1993

“Lichtermeer” campaign (Sea of Light) organised in Vienna as a protest against a popular petition initiated by the Freedom Party of Austrian under the slogan “Austria First”. 2600 signatures collected in a campaign entitled “Kufstein people say No to xenophobia”. Foundation of Multikulturell, an association that publishes the youth magazine “Mosaik”.

1994

Direct mail campaign in support of voting rights for aliens called “Bettelwurf” (name of a local mountain peak, literal translation: “Begging Throw i.e. Mailshot) organised by Bürgerinitiative Demokratisch Leben (Democratic Living Citizens’ Initiative) and sent to every Innsbruck household in the run-up to the municipal elections. Demonstration attended by 4000 people against the annual gathering (“Festkommers”) of “fencing fraternities” in Innsbruck.

1999

Foundation of the Austrian Network Against Racism (ANAR) in Innsbruck.

2000

Demonstration against the annual gathering (“Festkommers”) of “fencing fraternities” in Innsbruck.

2000 – 2004

Five Integration Balls in Innsbruck, the first held in the Stadtsäle and attended by 2,000 people, the others held in the Messehalle and attended by more than 3,500.

2001

Integration Office established within the JUFF Department (Youth, Women, Family) at the Tyrolean Regional Authority (renamed Department of Society and Labour in 2016).

2008

Creation of a chair for “Intercultural Learning and Social Change” in the Department of Education at the University of Innsbruck; specialisation renamed “Migration and Education” in 2014. The interdisciplinary Forschungszentrum für Migration und Globalisierung (Research Center Migration & Globalization) was founded at Innsbruck University in 2015.

2009

Integration Office established by the Innsbruck municipal authority.