For 20 years, a group of young people in Basel and the region have been demonstrating how youth culture, creativity and social commitment can be effectively and enjoyably combined. This is imagine basel, the self-organized project from terre des hommes schweiz. On On June 4 and 5, a Corona-suitable alternative program to the world-famous sound festival in Basel for diversity and against discrimination will take place, which under normal circumstances attracts several tens of thousands of people every year.
This time it’s off to the Sommercasino, which doesn’t have quite as much space as the good old Barfüsserplatz. Instead, the SoCa is a tried-and-tested hotspot for youth music culture in north-western Switzerland that has remained young and agile.
Small but mighty!
The new virus has also thrown imagine’s plans into disarray. But the imagine basel crew hasn’t given up, which is why a small, fine festival of a different kind is taking place on June 4 and 5 at the Sommercasino, or SoCa for short.
“Even though the big festival plans for Barfüsserplatz have already had to be solemnly buried, we are all the more pleased to be able to offer an alternative program this year! True to the motto ‘Small but mighty’, there’s not only something for the ears, but also something for the heart!” This is what imagine basel writes in its media release of May 25, 2021.
Like a family
imagine, the self-organized youth project from terre des hommes schweiz, is known here for its popular music festival for tolerance and diversity. It takes place every year over two days at the beginning of June on and around Barfüsserplatz in Basel and attracts over 20,000 young and old alike. imagine basel is much more, however, as a look at the website or the Instagram and Facebook account of the creative lab shows.
The concern behind it has been the same for 20 years, says Joshua Rössle, program coordinator at imagine with a focus on music programming, in the June magazine of terre des hommes schweiz: “There are bad things in our society that have unfortunately never completely disappeared.” “At imagine, we promote diversity and stand up against discrimination,” he says. “imagine builds bridges between youth culture and awareness-raising events.”
And what is the driving force behind this great work? Joshua Rössle, one of the many dedicated young people behind imagine basel who are defying the corona blues: “The great thing is that you don’t manage your area alone, everyone helps everyone else. We are like a family. If someone needs help, the others are always there.”
Festival imagine Basel goes Sommercasino: https://imaginebasel.ch/festival
Interview with Roger Gafner, Project Coordinator imagine basel at terre des hommes schweiz: https://www.terredeshommesschweiz.ch/es-braucht-gegensteuer-zu-ausgrenzung-und-radikalismus/
