The International Prize Alfons Comín recognized in 2009 the work of Arrels foundation, that accompany, in Barcelona, the homeless in a serious situation of exclusion and denounces their reality. The prize puts on the table the difficulties of the inclusion and the right of housing.
Arrels Fundació / December 2009 With the aim to remember and to spread the work and the social and political commitment of Alfonso Comín, in 1983 the Alfonso Comín foundation was set up. Since then, this entity has contributed to the task to make a fairer world by means of spreading publications, organizing lectures and meetings, and with the creation of Alfonso Comín International Prize.
In its 25 years of history, this award has recognized the work of personalities as the South-African ex-president Nelson Mandela; the priest founder of Traperos de Emaús, Abbé Pierre; and the catalan religious Pere Casaldàliga. It has also highlighted the work of the Workers Without Land Movement in Brazil, the Afghan women of Rawa association and the Global March against Child Labor. Last year, its recognition was addressed to Barcelona streets and to the work developed by Arrels Fundació for 22 years now.
“The jury has agreed to award unanimously Arrels Fundació, for their effort to reintegrate,with all their rights, those socially excluded and for their task of denounce and social transformation”, stated the President of Alfonso Comín foundation, Maria Lluïsa Oliveres, during the prize-giving last 21th December.
As Antoni Comín, member of Comín foundation and deputy of the Catalan Parliament, says, the prize rewards an entity “that makes us reflect deeply on the way the current economic system determines the social system”. Comín also adds that the homeless “are the expression of a problem of which the society is aware: an economy based only in efficiency and competitiveness, in which does not fit everyone”.
30.000 homeless, 1,8 million empty flats
In the same sense talked Salvador Busquets, Manager of Arrels Fundació, that recalled that nowadays “in Spain are among 22.000 and 30.000 homeless”, from which “nearly 2.000 people in Barcelona are sleeping in the street or are depending on existential resources to spend the night”; and these figures “will raise soon”. All this, in a country in which the Constitution recognizes the right of a decent housing, where there are 1.800.000 empty flats.
“According to 2008 data, and in connection with family income, housing should drop 41% to become equal to the price of the 17 more industrialised countries. According to General Council of the Judiciary, there were 58.700 foreclosure files last year and 115.000 are expected for this year, almost twice”, Arrels's Manager warned in his speech.
As Salvador Busquets explained, all these people that are in exclusion situation are more than just figures. They have full name and personal background that Arrels accompanies. That is the case of Miquel, “excellent drafstman” that has recently known that his comic Miquel, 15 years in the street, is going to be published. “In a short time, in a few days, perhaps in some weeks, he will be able to access to a flat of the Housing Municipal Board. Miquel is 65 years old and he has been asking for a some time to live on his own. He has been living 15 years in the streets and 7 years in guest houses and in shared flats. I wonder: Is this the housing rights?
“The exclusion can be avoided”
During the handing over of the International Prize Alfonso Comín, the acts and values of Josep Maria Panella, founding member of Arrels, who passed away last September, were also remembered. Moreover, the meeting helped to emphasize the role that everyone, civil services, social entities, citizens and companies have in the fighting for social inclusion.
In this context, Salvador Busquets pointed out that “ exclusion is not unavoidable. Neither is inherent and written in the new ways of economical development. Is a phenomenon that can be politicized, that is to say, subjected to an answer from public institutions and from the ability to react of the civil society”.
During the prize-giving, public figures such as Carles Martí, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Ricard Gomà, Social Action and Citizenry Deputy and Antoni Castells, Generalitat's Economic Affairs Counsellor were there.
