DAY 109

13.04.2017 Vrtiste - Nis, Serbia. The day before Nis was one of the most important and difficult moments during the whole march. Alexander and Pablo were preparing the event in Nis with a weeks advance. Marchers got its plan just one day before and it was seen by many as controversial. In the meantime the marching group (globally as Civil March for Aleppo) decided to focus strongly on the peace message instead of both peace mission and supporting refugees in Europe. Those who were absent, were not included in this discussion and decision taking process. That triggered huge disappointment of absent Alex, Pablo (as well as some present marchers), and in future contributed to their abandonment from the march. It showed how including everyone in the decision taking process was so important. Excluding single personalities from taking important decisions was almost always followed by „loosing” these people. Obviously it seems that the idea of changing the effort was not clearly presented. Edgard’s idea that visiting and meeting refugees in the camps finally brings more harm than good was for me incomprehensible. Also saving efforts by reducing activities concerned with refugee crisis, to increase those connected with sharing peace message, was finally faulty. Later, during the CMFA stay in Bulgria and Greece, the project was mainly focussed on the refugee issues. Pablo, who left because of it, never returned. This rapid change of strategy put Nis event organizers in a very uncomfortable situation, since many events connected with refugees were already planned and settled with local hosts.
Size of the group: 22 people.

Pablo (Germany), disappointed by the march's decision (concerning more focus on the peace aspect, while decreasing efforts towards refugee crisis). He left CMFA after Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo
Antoine presents the cloth contributed by Italians. It has a painting of the "Clown of Aleppo". Antoine carried it to the direction of Aleppo, through Turkey, after leaving CMFA.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag inge antoine vanessa
Cloth contributed by Italians, Antoine carried it to the direction of Aleppo, through Turkey.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag antoine
Sefa holding the "Aleppo clown" flag.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag sefa
Anka (Poland) presenting amazing whistle abilities; Pablo (Austria), Thomas (Germany).
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo anka thomasII tired
Hania holding the "Italian" flag.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag kids sefa
CMFA circle.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia Valeria Sara Rachele Nicola Marek Janbarbarossa ryszard Jantall sefa circle
New marcher!
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo thomasII circle
CMFA circle.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia valeria sara circle
Antoine, Anna & kids, Pablo.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo anka kids sefa antoine circle
Group photo before marching.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag anka kids sefa valeria sara thomasII tired group ismahan Vanessa Kader Pablo jantall clara hanna marysia edgardl nicola marek rachele
Sara and Vanessa (Italy).
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia valeria sara
Jan, Ismahan & Anka marching towards Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia janbarbarossa ismahan anka
Sefa & Kader marching.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia sefa kader
Valeria! (Italy).
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag valeria sara flags
Jan, the co-founder of the march.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia kids sefa janbarbarossa
CMFA in the former Nazi concentration camp in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia
Ismahan (France) and Sefa (USA), tired after marching.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia ismahan tired
Inge (Germany) telling a history connected story in front of the concentration camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia inge clara
Forming a circle in front of the concentration camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia anka clara janbarbarossa edgard inge thomas vanessa circle
Alex waiting for the group; he was part of the organisation team, that prepared the event in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia alex jantall camp
CMFA group inside the former Nazi camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia clara nicola inge thomas janbarbarossa camp
Thomas and Rachele inside the camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia thomas rachele
Thomas (Germany) taking photos in the Crveni Krst nazi camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia thomas photography
Ismahan (France) inside the camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia ismahan
Ismahan resting outside the Crveni Krst camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia tired ismahan
The group practising for a street performance directed by Pablo.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia clara thomasII tired hanna ismahan janbarbarossa tom group fun
Jan (Poland) resting in front of the camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia tired
The group practising for a street performance directed by Pablo.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia clara
Ismahan resting outside the camp.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia tired ismahan
The group practising for a street performance directed by Pablo.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo valeria sara clara tom janbarbarossa
Marek sleeping.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia tired marek
CMFA marching through Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia pablo valeria sara clara group ismhan
Ryszard and Anka marching through Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia
Old mosque in Nis, nowadays its a modern art gallery.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia
Watching the city downtown from the city walls.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia marysia
Anna (founder of the march) and co-founder Jan posing with flag on the city walls.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag flagpose janbarbarossa anna
Watching the city downtown from the city walls.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flags valeria sara clara anna anka kader sefa
Valeria (Italy) in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia
Clara (Austria) in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia clara thomasII tired marysia
Vanesaa & Kader; rest of the group in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia vanessa kader flags group
Entering Nis downtown.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia group
Marching to the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag clara anna janbarbarossa
Presenting the CMFA march on the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia
Presenting the CMFA march on the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag clara inge marysia hanna janbarbarossa sefa valeria sara rachele
Presenting the CMFA march on the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag clara thomasII tired inge hanna janbarbarossa sefa valeria sara rachele anna alex kids
CMFA circle on the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia flag janbarbarossa sefa valeria sara rachele anna alex kids circle
CMFA circle on the main square in Nis.
109 cmfa civilmarchforaleppo april serbia anka locals edgard marysia circle