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| Port of Call - Marseilles, France
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| A view of Marseilles from Notre Dame de la Garde |
France's oldest city, founded by the Greeks in the 5th century, Marseilles now covers twice the area of Paris and is the country's biggest port, a gate between East and West resting in a huge amphitheatre between the Mediterranean Sea and the craggy mountains of the Provencal region. Its diverse ethnic mix creates a microcosm of world society, where market traders sell products from all over the world, a Lebanese restaurant can be found above a Cuban nightclub and Halal and Kosher butchers exist side by side. The path to peaceful coexistence between people of such different cultures has not been an easy process, however, and many problems still exist in the city, with unemployment rates as high as 30% in some areas. Marseilles's population was swelled by immigrant flows encouraged to reconstruct post-war France and again when French colonies gained independence in the 1960's and 70's. Due to housing and job shortages, the city became known in the 1980's for drug dealing, violence and crime, and proved to be fertile ground for the racial hatred sown by France's far-right National Front party. Students of Peace Boat's Global University Programme whose first unit takes migration as its theme, visited Busserine, an under-privileged area in the north of the city populated principally by immigrants from Turkey, the Comoros Islands, Armenia and Algeria. There they met with representatives of various organisations and institutions promoting the rights of immigrants and were able to place their studies in context. |
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| A passenger buying fruit in the Arab market
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The group's first stop was the College Edouard Manet, a school for eleven to fourteen year-olds, which runs a series of state-funded programmes aimed not only at developing linguistic fluency, but also helping families to get their bearings in their new home without losing their cultural roots. Through a range of cultural, social and sporting activities emphasising group work and mutual respect, the school aims to ease transition into French society and minimise behavioural problems such as truancy and violence. Re-educating eating habits for those who no longer recognise foods in the market and come to rely on junk food, as well as trips around and outside the city to help their physical and psychological well-being are other important aspects of the work done by the school and associated groups. Future plans include a six-month orientation period for children and their parents, helping to create a support network for them and allowing them to form relationships on an individual level before participating in wider social circles. |
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| GU students tuck in to Couscous made by Schebba
members |
Another outreach programme for immigrants in Marseilles is Schebba (meaning young and beautiful) run by female immigrants for women who rarely leave their houses and live isolated from French culture. Started 16 years ago, the NGO provides support in many areas, from literacy classes and workshops in sewing, hairdressing and patisserie, to a mentor service liasing between schools and parents. Volunteers accompany women on visits to the doctor or official business and over the last five years have started to offer professional development opportunities and job networking. As well as practical support, Schebba aims to give its seven hundred-plus members the chance to socialise with others of the same background and expand their horizons through trips around the region and, recently, international exchanges with women's groups abroad. Peace Boat participants were welcomed into one of the four district centres and ate a delicious meal of Couscous prepared by women from the group, while finding out more about their activities and experiences. A further speaker, Judith Martin-Razi, introduced her organisation, which unites local associations, syndicates and political parties defending the rights of women under the umbrella 'Collectif 13, Droits des Femmes'. Created in March 2001, Collectif 13 represents all areas of civil society, with its 30-odd member groups working in areas such as equal opportunities, domestic violence, family planning, education and poverty. A regional association, it also has connections with national and international bodies and strives to create a resource base for activists. |
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| Halima Abdou-Soimad, one of the Sans Papiers,
talks of her experiences |
Replete with lamb and Couscous, the last stop for GU students was a community centre for seminars with representatives of the CGT trade union (Confederation General de Travail) and immigrants waiting for their situation to be regularised by the French government. A spokesman for the CGT attacked the government for creating a cheap underground labour force denied basic human rights, while another speaker introduced the 'Collectif des Clandestines', a movement founded in March 1998 to demand recognition of the 'Sans Papiers', illegal immigrants often fleeing conflict in their home countries. Having studied the history of migration into the EU onboard, participants had many questions for the panel regarding the status of clandestine immigrants and the attitude of the authorities towards them. Testimonies from those who had entered the country without visas gave personal insights into the problems faced by those exploited by employers and with little access to civil rights. Despite the time limits of the programme, GU students had the chance to see the activities of a variety of groups working within Marseilles to resolve issues relating to immigration and place their studies onboard in context. |
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| Yachts in Cassis marina |
Other Peace Boat members chose to experience another side of the historic city, climbing the hill to Notre Dame de la Garde, its golden statue of the blessed virgin glinting in the afternoon sun and blue skies giving no hint of the fierce mistral wind threatening hats and cameras! In the shelter of the Vieux Port, cafe overlooking the yachts moored in the marina brought to life images of the Riviera, while the blonde stone buildings of la Vielle Charite and City Hall, amongst others, glowed in the warmth of the autumn sun. People-watching while eating Bouillabaisse or sipping coffee on the terrace proved popular, while the more active ventured to Provencale wineries and local towns such as Cassis and Aix en Provence, with some making it as far as Paris. All too soon the departure gong was ringing out on deck and, with golden light slanting across Cathedral Sainte-Marie Majeure, Peace Boat pulled out of the harbour, tracing a curved wake through the bay. As the sun set in a ball of fire, small groups appeared on deck, scattering baguette crumbs as they dug into cheese, wine and chocolate, prolonging the moment where the delights of France would have to be left behind. |
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| Peace Boat's
39th Voyage index |
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PEACE BOAT is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. |
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