Białowieża Forest in eastern Poland is Europe's last primeval forest, a priceless shared heritage. Its trees are being cut to make plywood and pallets. The only thing standing between the trees and the harvesters is the power of people’s protest.

After taking power, the current Polish government approved intensive logging in protected parts of the Forest. The excuse is fighting an outbreak of bark beetle - an argument refuted by Polish and European scientists. In reality, the wood is being sold for profit. Only since the beginning of this year more than 50,000 trees were cut down, many of them over a 100 years old.

Just a few weeks ago, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) responded to the EU Commission’s legal complaint and ordered Poland to halt logging to prevent irreversible damage, before the Court issues its final judgement. But the Polish authorities have ignored all demands to save the Forest, voices of scientists and NGOs, protests, petitions, UNESCO’s demands and even the ECJ’s order, making Poland the first ever EU country to defy a decision of the Court.

Is there no power that can stop them?

On the ground, they’re called Defenders of the Forest. The people who stop harvesters, block the roads and disrupt the logging, sometimes with their own bodies. In doing so they save hundreds of trees from being lost. Now many face harassment, fines, court cases and physical violence. To keep going, they need to know they’re not alone - and to stay safe, they need visibility.

Help bringing more public attention to what is happening in the Białowieża Forest by sharing this article, sign the Open Letter of the Defenders of the Forest or donate money to them. With your help, you’re not just showing your solidarity - you’re becoming a Defender of the Forest yourself!

At the outset, Trans Diamond is a 5-day long festival dedicated to celebrate diversity and be the platform for active citizenship and international collaboration. The festival contains a set of distinctive events that brings world leading transgender activists, like-minded corporations, government bodies, communities, civil societies, leading LGBTIQ* groups, artists, film-makers and policy makers together. The larger aim of the festival is to foster international collaboration and accelerate the movement.

Transgender movement across the world has reached an accelerated phase where the community is fighting for basic rights, identity and acceptance. Despite the increasing acceptance and mainstream media discussion, transgender individuals still face socio-economical
and systemic barriers across the world. These challenges make it important for an international cooperation to foster the empowerment of transgender individuals.

Using Arts as tool for social change, the Festival draws attention to a wide range of issues faced by the transgender community. Leveraging the power of creative and performing arts, the Festival aims to catalyse the struggle for equal rights, acceptance and sensitize society. The Festival will also identify leaders from within the community, build capacities to engage in a
dialogue with policy-makers and society at large to highlight pertinent issues. Right from capacity building workshops, open forum to film festival, social beauty pageant and a musical performance, the Festival is a confluence of arts, intellect, humanity and hope.

If you work within the sector of transgender rights, are committed to driving positive social change within your community and/or are just a passionate and a concerned citizen - get involved and contribute to create a festival for all!

Entering the War Childhood Museum in the historical centre of Sarajevo, the first thing visitors can see is a colorful swing for children. An item like any other, one might think, until one reads a text on the wall describing its history and meaning for a small boy somewhere in the Yugoslavian countryside, in a region of what is today the nation of Bosnia and Hercegovina. This little swing was the only thing which made him forget the miseries and difficulties, the loss and pain a child has to endure when it witnesses war. And saved his life while his house was bombed down.

The War Childhood Museum opened in Sarajevo in January 2017. The Museum‘s collection contains a number of personal belongings like the before mentioned colorful swing, next to many more stories, audio and video testimonies, photographs, letters, drawings and other documents offering valuable insight into the unique experience of growing up in wartime. The idea started with a book: In June 2010, the author of the project Jasminko Halilović (29) launched a call for people who spent a part of their childhood in war to send a short answer to the question ‘What was a war childhood for you?’ In the first three months, over 1,000 people from 35 different countries sent their memories. The idea was to tell the stories of war survivors by creating a mosaic of memories out of these short and unique attachments. The edition of these recollections, initially supposed to last for several months, in the end lasted for about two years. The book which gathered these memories with the title "War Childhood - Sarajevo 1992-1995" was finally published in 2013. During this time, Halilovic kept staying in touch with 1000 of the participants. Inspired by their different stories as well as by their personal belongings shown to him, Halilović elaborated the concept of ‘War Childhood Museum’, which was finally realized four years later.

The crucial part of the War Childhood Museum represents this collection of personal belongings of war survivors. However, these objects do not express much if standing on their own. Their importance lies exactly in the meaning they have for their owner. Therefore, every item that is displayed in the Museum is accompanied by a personal story of its owner, like the little swing which saved a small boy from being hit by a granade.

If you would like to support this greatly humane project, you can support the War Childhood team by visiting the museum, volunteering as a team member, helping them financially by buying the book "War Childhood - Sarajevo 1992-1995" or you may promote it in your circles of preference.

Cold metal of handcuffs on his wrists, accusing gazes watching every move he does - the Turkish writer Doğan Akhanlı knows this situation too well from his former life in Turkey. But this time it is not Turkey, but the Spanish state that makes the author and political activist remember his darkest days in prison in his home country. Living in Germany since the 1990s as an exiled author, Akhanlı went on a regular holiday trip with his family to Granada in Spain. A day after his arrival the Spanish police knocked on his hotel room door, heavily armed and in bullet proof vests- as if he would be a dangerous criminal.

Since 2013 the Turkish government is carrying out an extradition procedure against him. Akhanlı is accused for participating in a robbery in 1989 during his time as a political activist. Eyewitnesses said he was not the culprit. After his trial and acquittal in Turkey, he left his country of origin to live in Germany - a place where he felt safe from the threatening Turkish authorities. After years of living and travelling safely through Europe the international police cooperation INTERPOL finally reacted to his case with new accusations: Terrorism and an attempt to overthrow the government. "I believe the state cannot bear my acquittal," Akhanlı explains. His lawyer suspects that he was spied on by the Spanish authorities - in a time of mass accusations, detainments and trials initiated by the current Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In his novels, essays, interviews and in his projects, Doğan Akhanlı continually argues for the true treatment of historical violence and the indivisibility of human rights - topics of his own life until this very present moment: For 40 days Akhanlı will not be allowed to leave Spain. For 40 days he is required to report to the local authorities once per week. The costs for a Spanish and a German lawyer taking care of his case will ruin him and his family. For this reason, the German center of the international writers association P.E.N. calls for donations to help the author in this difficult situation. The money donated is used exclusively for the costs arising in context of this legal dispute. Should a surplus remain, the amount would benefit the Writers-in-Prison program of the P.E.N. Center Germany, a project committed to persecuted and imprisoned authors and journalists. Donations go to:

PEN-Zentrum Deutschland e.V

„Dogan Akhanli“.

Volksbank Darmstadt-Südhessen eG

IBAN: DE22 5089 000 0058 9207 11

BIC: GENODEF1VBD

The big payment processing companies - Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover - are processing funds for some of the vilest white supremacist groups - including the groups behind the racial terrorism in Charlottesville.

White supremacist hubs are able to easily receive funding from their members because these companies are allowing them to. And thanks to transaction fees, these companies are making money every time someone donates to these hate groups.

White supremacist groups like Stormfront have played a major role in the recent and rapid rise in anti-Black, anti-Jewish and anti-LGBTQ hate crimes in the last year and a half. These groups plot to turn their hatred into violence. Stormfront users have been disproportionately responsible for some of the most lethal hate crimes and mass killings since the site was put up in 1995. In the past decade alone, Stormfront members have murdered close to 100 people. Other hate groups, like Label 56, Crew 38, National Alliance and Northwest Front have been responsible for the radicalization of terrorists like the Charleston shooter Dylann Roof or Wade Michael Page.

By profiting from donations to hate groups these companies are directly enabling the rising violence and vitriol directed at marginalized communities. Help stopping corporate funders of hate groups and sign the petition on Color Of Change! Show them which credit card YOU use to make them see just how many of the users are outraged!

A Serbian drama therapist, a swiss drug expert, an Armenian performace artist and a former monk from India- what do these different people and their professons have in common? They are all changemakers. The three young filmmakers Halea, Luisa and Friedi from Berlin decided to portrait these people who are part of their circle of friends and acquaintances and created this great movie about personalities with inspiring life projects as an inspiration and appeal to take responsibility, dream and act upon it.

The movie's title "Transmodernity" is an umbrella term that addresses a socioeconomic, political and philosophical shift way beyond our globalised hyper-capitalist world. It is an exemplary term that could be used to describe the new age that we are diving into. While being critical of modernity and postmodernity, it takes the best elelments of both – trans-forming our society into something improved. Old systems that over the course of time, proved to not work out need to be reformed from within. The makers of "Transmodernity- In The Blue Hour" suggest to stay playful, have courage and optimism that people can make a difference collectively if they take responsibility as individuals.

If you liked the idea of this film and got inspired, you have the possibility to support Halea, Luisa and Friedi with their project via kickstarter. Only a few hours are left!

ZMAG (Zelena Mreža Aktivističkih Grupa, Green network of activist groups) is an NGO founded in 2002 and is engaged in permaculture education, environmental protection and raising awareness on sustainable living. The organization’s members are organic gardeners and food producers, sustainable and natural building practitioners, permaculture designers and teachers, researchers of fair and egalitarian social and organizational models, environmental activists and those interested in sustainable living.

ZMAG is one of the Centers of Knowledge for Social Development in Croatia in the area of sustainable living and development of permaculture. The NGO promotes, develops and practices permaculture, environmental knowledge and skills, applicable models and technology as well as relations that are important for sustainable living. Over the years ZMAG has established itself in the areas of permaculture education, natural building and promotion of renewable energy resources and development of low-tech DIY technologies. ZMAG is working through several projects, on promoting Food Sovereignty, helping startup Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups in Croatia and creating good economic models that support family-owned small eco-famers. Through advocacy and education on seed protection and saving, they are acting on a local level in order to create community resilience.

At the same time, the members of ZMAG are actively involved in several educational programs in schools on subjects from climate change, seed saving, food production and preparation, composting and energy. In addition to advocacy work, policy analyses, networking and campaigns, their members participate in national working groups that create public policies, strategies and plans in areas relevant to our organization. All of the subjects which are addressed –food, economy, energy, political power, ideologies, social values and consumerism – through their practical hands-on approach, are an endeavor of creating a new culture of collaboration and environmental stewardship that is necessary to sustain a livable planet.

ZMAG aspires to a world where an adequate standard of living, social and human rights for all people is met with respect to environment and sustainability. Support them by donating, volunteering and/or spreading their contents through your preferred channels!

Lukenya Pillars of Transformation (LPT) is a Kenyan Non-profit, Student led Community Based Organization that seeks to build a people’s capacity for self-reliant skills through projects and initiatives, active participation in training and mentorship programs and thereby improving the standards of life.

The Lukenya Community is one of the major communities surrounding Daystar University Athi River Campus and is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. It is home to close to 10,000 people. It is a commercial as well as an educational center which is rapidly urbanizing due to a high demand of houses and food products. Being an educational center, Daystar Athi River campus has seen an influx of students from within and outside Kenya coming to pursue their careers and improve their living standards. This has further attracted a large number of people from outside coming to invest in rental houses and in business. The University has offered employment to close to 2,500 people majority being security guards, cooks, drivers and cleaners.

LPT has two mayor projects underway: One sponsorship program with the main aim to boost the less fortunate children at Daystar Mulandi, especially in terms of paying their school fees which is only Ksh 450 to 500 KES (not even 5 USD) for the pre unit children per term. This program will have a tremendous impact not only in the child’s life but also endorse their families' financial stability.The second mayor program is a mentorship program with the goal to connect the youth in the community with individuals who are fully skilled in their area of interest. Currently the mentors are undergoing a two week training before they are connected with their mentees.

Support the students of Lukenya Community in their future-oriented and sustainable project and either donate directly or share and like their contents on your preferred channels!

In 1966 Fehmi Gönüleğlendiren, a young man from Adana in Turkey arrived in the German city Mönchengladbach. He was one of the so called guest workers (Gastarbeiter) who came to help building up post-war Germany. He came among throusands of other unprofessional workers from Turkey. They were living in collective accommodations, ten to twelve men sharing a room. Because of the shift work in the factories, there was a permanent coming and going, day and night.

Fehmi Gönüleğlendiren was the grandfather of Çağdaş Eren Yüksel. The young filmmaker never got to know his grandfather, because he died much too early in a car accident. But now, Yüksel - who is known for his film "Asyland" - is retracing his family's roots and thus putting up a historical phenomenon to discussion which is more than ever an up-to-date topic in Germany: "I want to tell the story of the first generation of Turks who came to Germany in the 1960s," he says. "It's our last chance, because these people will leave us soon."

For several months now, he has been talking intensively with first-generation guest workers as with Germans who recall the 1960s and 1970s. The first days in rainy Germany. The first Turkish neighbor. The first German-Turkish love.

Çağdaş Yüksel processes the stories he collected in his film "Gleis 11", meaning "Track 11" which was the arrival track of guest workers at the station in Mönchengladbach. Thanks to the stories told, Yüksel provides the audience with a glimpse of the living conditions and circumstances at that time. "I want to tell the untold stories," he explains.

The team of young filmmakers involved in this project are in need of funding in order to continue their production of this independently produced film which is planned to be released in spring 2018- more than half a century after Yüksel's grandfather arrived on track 11. Feel encouraged to donate on the crowdfunding platform startnext, or like and share this great and necessary project!