We are pleased to announce the beginning of regular monthly salons both in Bologna and in Rome. This is part of a wider expansion that will soon see salons popping up in Paris, Berlin, Cluj, and other cities. This February, Salon Europa focuses its two Italian appointments on the increasingly worrying condition of migrants in that country, symptom of a wider European malaise. Thursday 18 February 2010 - h. 18:00 Libreria Feltrinelli, piazza Ravegnana, 1 - Bologna Considered by some as a precious resource – both culturally and economically – and by others as a terrible menace, migration has always given rise to a mixture of ambiguous feelings among permanent citizens. Italy has recently been the scene of episodes of violence involving African migrants working in inhuman conditions in the fields of Rosarno (Calabria region) and the local population. These events will be the starting point for a discussion about immigration, to be examined from different points of view: the “external” view of an Italian journalist and writer – Gabriele Del Grande (Fortress Europe) – who observes the reactions and behaviours of this country towards immigration, and the one of a French correspondent in Italy – Eric Jozsef (Libération) – who can situate these events in the broader European context, tracing parallels and differences; and the “inner” point of view of a writer of non-Italian origins, Tahar Lamri, who himself lives the condition of the migrant and uses his art as a means to narrate the difficulties and potentialities of this peculiar position. For details and information: bologna@euroalter.com

Salon Europa Rome 23 February, venue tbc Salon Europa opens in Rome with a first meeting by the title "From Rosarno to the first of March - Labour, rights, racism", reflecting on the recent xenophobic outbursts in Italy and the proposal of a strike of migrants in Italy and France on the first of March. With Grazia Naletto, researcher and president of Lunaria Stefania Ragusa, organiser of the migrants’ strike initiative in Italy More information soon available soon here To read about the previous events in the Salons Europa series please click here. For more information please do contact us by writing an email at editors [at] euroalter [dot] com