Anyone passing by the European Parliament on Monday and Tuesday will notice an impressive display of over 100 origami boats. Initially assembled in Germany in collaboration with regional artists, the installation aims to express solidarity with refugees.
German voluntary welfare association AWO Saxony-Anhalt gathered thousands of individuals from across Germany to complete the socially critical art project "100 Boats – 100 Million People." Gathering in teams of four or more, over 600 people ranging between the ages of two and 79 worked alongside artist Frank Bölter to fold enormous paper boats in solidarity with refugees at 14 shipyards in Saxony-Anhalt.
The 110 paper boats have been shared between various locations around Europe, from schools and clubs to institutions. Each boat represents one million people who have fled their homelands and face precarious situations.
A visual symbol of humanity and solidarity, the paper boats are over five metres long and uniquely embellished with multicoloured drawings, paintings, and expressions in favour of the cause.
Credit: Flora Ireland
The boats in front of the European Parliament were presented at 09:30 on Monday morning.
This was followed by a programme from 12:00 onwards where AWO International, Sea Watch, SOS Humanity, and other non-profit organisations gave speeches and statements discussing humanitarian challenges faced by refugees.
Represented online with the tag #LeaveNoOneBehind, the speeches spread the organisations' message of fighting for a fair European asylum system with increased social cohesion, and ending deals that violate human rights.
Monday's programme came to a close at around 15:30 with musical performances, artistic contributions, and conversational exchanges.
The boats from above. Credit: Flora Ireland
'We are all in the same boat'
Further panel discussions on the theme of 'European refugee policy – we are all in the same boat' will continue from 18:00 on Tuesday.
EU politicians, expert speakers, and the organisers will urge the EU Parliament to take action and promote a humane and solidarity-based refugee policy.
Afterwards, the opening of an exhibition about the project will open to the public.
