Welcome to Father Frost against Putin II Festival

Helsinki - Saturday January 3rd, 2015

Program:

Some of the talks will be stremed online. Channels:

http://bambuser.com/channel/A-ryhma

http://bambuser.com/channel/A-ryhma-kakkonen   11:00 — 12:20   Undercover investigations against animal cruelty in Russia   Cruelty against animals is a deep-rooted problem in Russia. This includes circuses with animals, training centers for hunting dogs and hunting, which is often done illegally. In order to reveal such problems and to do necessary research, it is from time to time necessary to infiltrate in hostile places and even be part of the cruelty — but this may also achieve important results.    In the presentation, a participator of such investigations will tell about examples of activism from his personal experience.    12:20 — 13:25 Lunch   13:20 - 14:40 Mutual aid in volunteer movements of St. Petersburg
Thousands of people have participated to popular movements which are supporting sanctuaries of homeless animals and cleaning up local parks. How these movements got started, and how are they organised in a horizontal manner? What is the «Green bloc» in local demonstrations, and how the movement has succesfully forced local bureaucrats to take care about local parks?   (in parallel) Rosatom projects — problems, dangers and resistance   Rosatom is Russian state nuclear monopoly, which is a shareholder and reactor supplier in third Finnish nuclear power plant project in Pyhäjoki municipality at Botnian gulf. This presentantion will concentrate on problems of Rosatom operation in North-West of Russia, which are Kaliningrad nuclear power plan, two nuclear power plants and nuclear waste storage in Leningrad region and issues with Kola nuclear power plant — prolongation of operation, increasing the electricity production,  plans for a second nuclear power plant and public hearings regarding to these projects.    This talk will be streamed online. Channel: http://bambuser.com/channel/A-ryhma   14:55 — 16:15   Feminism, Gender and LGBTIQ in Russia   Society in Russia is faced with a growing patriarchal and heteronormative tendencies in recent years. And that looks rather scary: homophobic federal law; fundamentalists and neofacists attacks on the LGBTQI-events and people; machismo even in the anti-authoritarian movement and so on. But of course there is the resistance. So let`s check the chronicles of the feminists and LGBTQI struggle in Russia and its challenges and think over the ways for solidarity.   (in parallel) Politics to curb migration and official xenophobia in Russia   In the august of 2013 Russian migration laws were made much more strict, and all the following legal initiatives, if contained one step forward for migrants, included at least two steps back. Government officials and politicians do not shy away from outright xenophobic statements in their talks, as was shown during 2013 Moscow mayoral election — both Kremlin candidate and Alexey Navalnyi of the opposition attacked migrants. How is migrant labout living in these conditions? What kind of challenges this situation poses for anti-fascists?   This talk will not be streamed online.    16:30 —17:50 Kremlin conspiracy theories and growth of far-right in Russia   Because Russian political elite consists of former security service employees and their friends, it only understands politics as a network of conspiracies, only goal of which is to take over power and resources. This mode of thinking has defined Russian politics for years. One of the consequences is model of «controlled nationalism», consequence of which was emergence of a Nationalist terrorist organisation. Now this same model of thinking also defines Russian foreign policy, and Kremlin has become biggest sponsor of European far-right parties.   This talk will not be streamed online.    17:50 — 18:50 Dinner   20:00 Movie screening - Olya's Love    Olya's Love is a documentary film about a lesbian couple living in Russia. Olya is a fighter, active member of the LGBT-community, her partner Galiya doesn´t want to let politics rule her life. Their love is strong, and they want to have a baby together. When Russian Duma launches their discriminating laws against homosexuals, Olya starts to fight even stronger. But same time their love is put to the test.    The movie is in Russian with English subtitles. YYA-network presents the movie for the first time in Finland.   After the movie Olya Kurachyova will tell about her life and answer audience's questions.   Tickets 7€ Movie theatre Kino Andorra, Eerikinkatu 11, Helsinki   Trailer: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/olyaslove/84409167   You can buy the tickets beforehand at Mustan kanin kolo (Hämeentie 28), Tasajako-webstore http://anarkismi.net/tasajako/muut/elokuvalippu-Olyas-Love and 3.1. at Kupoli (Mannerheimintie 5 B, 7.krs.   Movie screening in facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1596950387202185/   22:00 – 04:00 A gig in Kupoli   Cold Institution https://coldinstitution.bandcamp.com/   Stereotypia http://stereotypia.bandcamp.com/releases   Julma-Henri https://fi-fi.facebook.com/JulmaHenri   Entrance 6 euros. 

Gig in facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/824488250942412/

In January 2014, during Russian new year holidays, the first edition of the Father Frost against Putin Festival was organised in Helsinki. Revolutionaries, disguised as average tourists and consumers, slipped over the borders from Russia to Finland under the watchful eyes of the border guards, and arrived in Helsinki. On the first Saturday in January, struggles for the environment, free spaces in St. Petersburg, for political prisoners, and other political fights in the area of former Soviet Union were discussed. Little did Putin, Russian bureaucrats and oligarchs know, what was being planned for their peril.

However, revolutionary forces failed to make a lasting change to the political landscape in Russia and Finland. Instead of a revolution, Putin occupied Crimea, sentenced activists to prison and sent the army to Ukraine. The old problems were not solved during the past year, but plenty of new ones appeared. Thus we must do it again, and better than last time.

This is why a common preparation group of Russian and Finnish activists invites everyone to join a common festival, the purpose of which is to develop Russian and Finnish grassroots opposition movements, connections between activists in different countries, as well as a way to spend the Russian New Year's vacation in Finland.

Festival events are completely open to everyone.

The festival will take place in the Kupoli of the New Student house and it starts 10 AM at the following address: Mannerheimintie 5 B, 7th floor. The building is located in the center of the city, 200 meters from the main railway station.

The festival is organized by Friendship, Collaboration and Mutual Assistance network (YYA), Writers' and Artists' Association Kiila and AutOp. We welcome all interested groups, networks and individuals to join us!

The day after the festival, Sunday January 4th, the second Baltic Anarchist Winter Meeting will be organised. It continues in the tradition of BAM 2012, Tallinn and BAWM 2014, Helsinki. This event is also open to everyone, so visitors have a chance to join in both days.

The festival organizers promise free meals to every visitor from abroad during the two festival days. Due to this, we ask locals to contribute a solidarity price of 5-7 euros for each meal. Vegan food will be provided so it is suitable for as many people as possible. 

Registration of guests is now finished. You are still welcome to join, as all the events will be open, but accomodation will not be provided anymore. 

Contact address: dedmoroz@riseup.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1513519118925362/

VK: https://vk.com/event80803704