Arrival of the vessel "Oloferne" Palermo-July 6 press conference at 10am on the pier "Cala della"

Press release n°3

After more than two days’ crossing, the Oloferne, conducting our first mission at sea, won the coast of Sicily on July 4 at around 11:00 pm. He was welcomed by local activists of Boats 4 People. His arrival marks the second step of our action to denounce European migration policies responsible for deaths of boat people in the Mediterranean.

On board with two directors, two journalists, a representative of families of missing and three international activists for freedom of movement, the arrival in Sicily of Oloferne has for us a great political importance. This is in Sicily that are still trapped hundreds of migrants who arrived by sea and what have been deemed sailors Cap Anamur and Tunisian fishermen and Zenzeri Bayoudh for saving boat people.

These facts embody the inhuman and absurd contradiction between the obligation of rescue at sea consecrated by international law and the criminalization of assistance to boat people.

We invite you:

. On July 5, 2012, from 17:00 to Palermo in the courtyard San Chiara,
At a meeting on Boats4People "crime of border controls VS criminalization of aid sea."

. Friday, July 6 2012:

 At 10 am: Press conference on the pier "Cala della" (landmark = in front of the bookshop del Mare) on board of the Boats 4 People Oloferne.

Will be present: the crew departing for Monastir: French documentary filmmakers Joel Labat and Nathalie Loubeyre and the project coordinator Nicanor Haon edge since the launch of the voyage, Captain Marco Tibiletti (President of the association Nave di Carta) Marie Barbier (French journalist to l’Humanité), Laura Biffi (Legambiente), Anna Bucca (ARCI), Hamadi Zribi (Italo-Tunisian activist), Gianluca (Journalist and author, expert on the Mediterranean).
The local and European institutional representatives were invited. The schooner will be welcomed by the municipal team headed by the mayor Leoluca Orlando.

 After the press conference: an international delegation, accompanied by Senator Marco Perduca visit the Centre for Identification and Expulsion of Trapani Milo.

 At 8:00 pm at the Foro Italico will be held a demonstration at sea to commemorate the dead and missing migrants during the crossing to Europe.

The boat will leave at sea towards Monastir (Tunisia), July 7. At the same time, many activists will take the ferry with a crossing in the claims of Boats 4 People.

Press contact:

Nicanor Madueno (french, english, spanish): +39 3282937198

Sicily: Anna Bucca +39 3298089072

Italia: Alessandra Capodanno +39 3403006449

Celullar phone on board : 00 8821 651 17 59 66.

Communication office (ARCI-Italy): Andreina Albano + 39 3483419402