Translations coming soon!
NBK Manifesto
No Border Kitchen Lesvos is a self-organised group of independent individuals who maintain a solidarity structure on the Greek Island of Lesvos. The main purpose of the collective is to support travellers who are unable to progress with their journey due to European migratory policies. Through a praxis based on mutual aid and solidarity, we take a stand against border policies and the suffering they are causing.
Alongside providing basic needs, we are trying to offer a viable alternative to the way travellers are treated by mainstream NGO’s, governments, and local authorities, which is often characterised by condescension, coupled with a dehumanising and infantilising attitude.
We also monitor and publish information about the ever-changing situation on Lesvos, in order to put the situation back into focus and to be able to maintain a flexible and responsive organisational structure.
About NBK:
NBK is a political project that rejects the border-regime enforced by the governments of the European Union.
We are on Lesvos, because we believe that Fortress Europe and its borders must be abolished. Therefore, we don’t ask people for their papers, but provide unconditional support.
We are not here to assist the governments of Europe in the management of ‘refugee flow’, wherefore we officially do not work together with non-governmental and humanitarian organisations and are not registered as one with the authorities. We do cooperate on an informal level with some small grassroots NGOs on the island, with whom we share a common perspective.
Anyone may join in the activities of the No Border Kitchen, with the proviso that you do so as an individual, not as a representative of an NGO or another organisation.
We want to fight the distinctions the state and media make between “good” and “bad” travellers based on whether they are “refugees” or “economic migrants”, “innocent victims”, or “criminals”. We believe in unconditional freedom of movement for all.
NBK is not only about providing food for people, but also about respecting each other as individuals. Each traveller has his or her own unique aspirations, desires, and set of circumstances that brought them to undertake their journey.
We are self-organised and base our actions on anti-authoritarian principles. Anyone who shares this view is welcome to join and work with NBK, regardless of gender, sex, sexuality, nationality, or religion. We are not funded or sponsored by governments or big funds. We rely on donations from individuals, groups and collectives that share the same views and work towards the same goals as us.
NBK is comprised of locals, travellers, and people from around the world who share common hopes and struggles. Our broader desire is to build autonomous structures based on relationships of solidarity. We believe that by establishing wide networks in our common struggles, we can fight powerfully as a united movement and rise together against fortress Europe.
NBK, 2018.