And I really do not mean you when I talk about “hostility” on this blog. I get AT LEAST 2 replies a day that I delete (not counting spam messages in the hundreds) which are abusive and hostile.

I DO get a bit… short-tethered, but it’s not about you. I try and always say who I mean by name (if they leave one) and the rest drop into moderation or onto my banned list.

I must admit that I would not wish that my ticket money went towards the MOD. I think I pay enough already for national defense !

About “typical”: most people, me included, at least subconsciously understand “immigrants” as coming from poor countries. This is also because if you come from an non EU country you get a lot more bureaucracy, a lot more racism and a lot more stigma.

Once i decided to, say, prolong my stay in Britain (i was studying there). Actually, i moved to London. When i told some local he went: ” so you have migrated”. I got so surprised, i couldn’t believe that moving to London equates migrating.

Not at all, panos. I hope you don’t read it as that. I get so many messages ” behind the scenes” that I can’t even explain. You are NOT the problem at all. Sorry if you got that impression.

Maybe you are not the typical case of an immigrant, since you are an EU citizen, but you are black and people on the door don’t ask too many questions.

Maybe ! I never thought of it like that… but I was struck by your comment !

Why am I not “typical” ?
No-one asked me anything on the door. I just know I never paid all these years.

If “typical” is something we can quantify ? Can we share here what fits and what doesn’t ?

I have no debate with the festival itself. But when money and issues exist, there is no contest. Business wins.That’s it.

I believe you have (like me) the best intentions. But we all have to be accountable. Whether it’s to the people who provide the money (who have their own interests in mind) or to answer to us who perhaps cannot afford to come to your celebration. Or people like me who are a little confused by the criteria above ?

i hope you don’t have me in mind when you talk about hostility. Any disagreement is not necessarily hostile. Correct me if i’m wrong but hostility means personal attacks, flames etc. I don’t think i did any of that.

Maybe misinformed but I have never paid to get into the anti-racist festival before ?

Maybe you are not the typical case of an immigrant, since you are an EU citizen, but you are black and people on the door don’t ask too many questions.

First of all, my “kids” are not children. They are 16-17 years old.

Any person under the age of 18 is considered a child. This is not me, this is international (and Greek) law. I guess this is followed by the festival too.

I would really like to take a look at their budget & see what cost 160.000 euros????

I totally agree with you that the budget should be published for anyone to see. It’s a matter of transparency. Besides that, the budget includes the cost of the park (yes, the government wanted money for that), food and drinks, the expenses (not fees) of musicians and others invited from abroad, technicians (electricians, sound engineers etc, unfortunately they don’t work for free), posters and publications, etc. There is a lot of volunteer work involved in the festival, but unfortunately it can’t cover everything.

It’s their CHOICE.

(to have no sponsors)

Well, the dependency of the anti-racist festival (or social, grassroots organizations) to sponsors is a big issue to be resolved here.
Let me just rephrase the dilemma: should political parties accept money from companies? if yes, how can we be sure that they don’t pursuit the interests of the companies and not the people?

that’s all from me folks. wish you a happy holiday.

http://efhbos.wordpress.com/20.....2008video/

and
the “Soul Rebels Brass Band” in 13th Anti-Racist Festival (video)

http://efhbos.wordpress.com/20.....brassband/

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First of all, my “kids” are not children. They are 16-17 years old.

I would really like to take a look at their budget & see what cost 160.000 euros????

And second, it’s not a matter of not being ABLE to have no entrance fee

(Yes, it would be great if it was for free. But it can’t be, it’s as simple as that.)

It’s their CHOICE.

(And that’s because they don’t have sponsors, cause they don’t like them :-).)

Maybe misinformed but I have never paid to get into the anti-racist festival before ?

Anyway, this is one of those posts that I wish I hadn’t written. The purpose of this festival is what is important not my financial problems. Appreciate that.

6 euro per ticket??
we definitely won’t go - I wanted to take my kid plus niece & nephew.
24 euros to visit the anti-racist festival??
have they thought this out??

Kids don’t pay.

However, the Anti-Racist Festival has never had an entrance charge before (and I have been to others that don’t (the Indie Free, of course, Summer in the City and the European music Festival. They have sponsors, usually beer companies etc) and they make money by selling food, drinks, CDs, crafts etc. I am guessing that the boroughs that provide the public spaces for them, donate them ? Not sure.

You ‘ve been misinformed. The antiracist festival ALWAYS had an entrance charge. And that’s because they don’t have sponsors, cause they don’t like them :-). Also, a big part of the money for the food goes to the immigrants that provide it. Money from other stuff (cd’s crafts, etc) goes straight to the immigrants that sell them.

there are millions of other ways to raise money

Yeah, sure. But i don’t know many bazaars that can make 90.000 (the money from the entrance charge).

I understand the need to finance the event but I think 3 euros (as in Thessaloniki) is a good price and would make the same or more money because more people would go. An anti-racist festival should not be about exclusion of any kind.

This means 30.000 people paying a ticket, instead of 15.000. This would also mean double capacity. And some people would still complain that they are excluded…

the budget of the festival exceeds 160.000. Even with the “expensive” 6 euro entrance charge, the festival made 2.000 profit, which is less than the money needed to restart next year. Yes, it would be great if it was for free. But it can’t be, it’s as simple as that.

However, the Anti-Racist Festival has never had an entrance charge before (and I have been to others that don’t (the Indie Free, of course, Summer in the City and the European music Festival. They have sponsors, usually beer companies etc) and they make money by selling food, drinks, CDs, crafts etc. I am guessing that the boroughs that provide the public spaces for them, donate them ? Not sure.

I do wish I had never said that I couldn’t go because that does undermine the point of having the festival. I just wanted to point out that many people really cannot afford the entrance and that is an issue to me. It has always been a consideration in any projects I have been involved in and can be a tricky one to negotiate. Sometimes, I have to be a bit careful not to be just “thinking out loud” here on this blog, so thank you for pointing that out.

You are right. People should try and go if they can. It’s important.

Since it is being organized by an NGO it depends solely on its supporters (eg visitors) to help make the festival a success, hence the ticket. You must realize that festivals need electricity for lighting, sound equipment for the music stage and the Greek Power Company (DEH) doesn’t have a I-give-out-freebies-to-festivals policy. The Thessaloniki festival has a lower entrance fee because it is smaller in square meters and fewer demands for electricity, water, sound equipment etc.

We can go on and on about how cheap or expensive a cup of coffee is compared to the price of the festival’s entrance fee but deciding whether you should spend 6 euros for coffee is not the same as making a social statement I will go to the antiracist festival to declare my support to all foreigners living and working in Greece. There is a difference.

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