Students at the University of Barcelona

The 118 day occupation in Barcelona, fighting the Bologna process, was evicted last week.  Establishing their own "Comision Internacional" they are calling for more communication internationally, especially in Europe were these reforms are affecting academia, changing and cramming curricula in various ways.  The eviction was itself quite violent.  Unfortunately it's not the first time police brutality finds its point of application on students challenging the accords.  Nevertheless, the eviction can be witnessed here.  They are continuing their protests and as well are participating in the Global Week of Action. 

Algerian Students Fight For Their Future

For 24 hours a day, students have been camped outside of the Algerian Embassy for weeks. While some students do occasionally leave they always return. There is always a crowd sitting on the sidewalks.

Yesterday, I spoke with a few of them and they explained their strike to me. Shaharazad and a a of her friends conveyed their frustration. The Algerian government has decided that they will not accept the diplomas that they receive from their university, meaning that the diplomas will not be useful for them once they return to Algeria to find work. Shaharazad also shared that if the Algerian government does not accept the diplomas then none of the students will know what to do with their futures. We all continued to talk about education, problems of the government, and about ourselves. Tea was shared, music was played, and pictures were viewed. Some of the pictures were incredibly moving. Some of the demonstrators have gone on hunger strikes as well, incurring a few students to be rushed to hospitals. Nevertheless, those students currently recovering will be back demonstrating soon.

These students are determined to be heard by their government. To show your support, until their diplomas are recognized in Algeria, please go to the Algerian embassy (Ismail Mohammed, Zamalek). Our conversations were a mix of Arabic, English and French, so don’t worry about problems with communication. They can be overcome.

The Daily News Egypt has also written a piece on the struggle of the Algerian students. Read it for more information on what has previously happened.

Videos on the Vanguard

Student activists in Hamburg made a lovely video for the coming Global Week of Action. Please watch and spread the word.
Check it out on Youtube.

There is also a video of the recent protest in the Philippines and another video of the one in London.

The Global Struggle

"In light of global financial insecurity, more and more people ask themselves: Is the public education system still serving the interests of the public, or is the focus shifting to implement education systems that primarily serve
private and business interest? How will I afford college for my children? How will I ever pay off all the student loans? How much more will fees increase?

In continuation with the International Students Movement's November 5 day of action, countries around the globe are celebrating a week of action. During the week of April 20-29 students, teachers, and citizens around the world are uniting to reclaim education from the grip of commercialization and neoliberal policies.

For more information, check www.emancipating-education-for-all.org