About thirty French cultural places are mobilizing to welcome in France Afghan artists threatened by the rapid advance of the Taliban, we learned on Monday from the initiator of the mobilization and the mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, who supports them.
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"
We have drawn up a list of the artists most in danger, in particular women who do theater,
" the director of the Lille festival Latitudes Contemporaines, Maria Carmela Mini, told AFP, indicating that she had reached a list of 70 people. - 52 artists and some members of their families - handed over to the French authorities.
"About thirty cultural institutions"
Ms. Mini federated a group of "
about thirty cultural institutions
", including national drama centers, to plead the cause of these artists to the Élysée, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and allow them to obtain visas, but also to organize their professional and personal support once they are in France.
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According to her, following a meeting in Paris, the ministries concerned first gave their agreement so that these Afghans could benefit from an accelerated visa application procedure, then told her to make them follow "
a procedure. Classic Schengen
”.
"
On the spot, the situation is dramatic, people are arriving en masse in Kabul and are parked there
" she is alarmed.
“
We are unable to have classic requests completed while some are on the street to save their skins!
".
Faced with an "
absolute emergency
", in particular for the intelligentsia of the country, the socialist mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, also explained to AFP to have intervened with the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture "
to let France move
”.
A call for donations has been launched
"
We are ready to give a roof to the Afghans who would come to France,
" she says, referring to around sixty units that can be mobilized and supporting the initiative of cultural institutions.
"
The City of Lille and the Lille Foundation are launching an appeal for donations + Accueil Afghans in danger +, whose funds will cover the costs of repatriation as well as the costs of daily living
", said the town hall in a press release Monday. evening.
The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, imposing their ultra-rigorous version of Islamic law, are advancing at high speed in the north of the country and now control six of the 34 provincial capitals.