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What Music Festivals and Refugee camps have in common…

3 min read

Better Society
Music Festivals & vluchtelingen kampen zijn andere werelden. Maar ID&T ziet overeenkomsten.
Source: None

One the largest global dance event organisations provides people & expertise in Lesvos.

Find the similarities

In first instance a dance partying crowd does not have anything in common with the refugee camps in i.e. Greece. Right? Wrong! Fortunately there are people that think different. 

Meet the Dutch Duncan Stutterheim, the wealthy founder of ID&T which is one of the globe’s largest music festival organisers. After hearing harrowing stories from friends who offer help to the refugees on Lesvos, he has decided to start Lesvos Winterproof.

Lesvos Winterproof Source: Facebook Lesvos Winterproof

Their mission is to rapidly improve the inhumane conditions in the Lesvos camps. They do this by directly providing expertise in the field of crowd management, logistical planning and event production. 

Last weekend the first group left for Lesvos. Their first objective is to make a proper analyses on the island so they can ensure the right help will be offered. On the left you see Duncan Stutterheim.
Team Lesvos Winterproof Last weekend the first group left for Lesvos. Their first objective is to make a proper analyses on the island so they can ensure the right help will be offered.
On the left you see Duncan Stutterheim. Source: Facebook Lesvos Winterproof

Cooperations

ID&T has been actively working on a positive impact for years. For example, their Foundation 10.000 hours links dance festival visitors to jointly to voluntary work . 

In case of Lesvos Winterproof, ID&T works together with Because we Carry and Bag to the Future. 

They collect a.o. baby slings in the Netherlands so these can be given to refugees on Lesvos.
Because we Carry They collect a.o. baby slings in the Netherlands so these can be given to refugees on Lesvos. Source: Facebook Because we Carry
They have already provided 10,000 back packs, filled with toys for the kids on Lesvos.
Bag to the Future They have already provided 10,000 back packs, filled with toys for the kids on Lesvos. Source: Facebook Bag to the Future
He requested Tiësto Amidst the misery , there are also joyful moments. When they handed out fruit, one of the men requested a Tiësto song to be played. Source: Facebook Because we Carry

Citizens iniatiatives FTW

It is appalling how inadequate governments deal with this urgency situation. As a result, hundreds of thousands are struggling under primitive circumstances in Europe. You can learn more in the New Statesman where a journalist describes how he spent 3 days living in a camp and how incredibly bad the situation is. 

Fortunately, it’s also really heartwarming to see so many private initiatives being deployed by citizens and companies by providing expertise, people and other means. 

Support them, especially now the winter is around the corner.  Below you find concrete suggestions on how you can contribute. 

Making a difference Because we Carry hands out 150 kg bananas, 200 kg apples and 100 kg of tangerines. It's all gone with the hour. They send a new group of volunteers every week to the island. Of course they pay for their own journey and they collect funds from sponsors so they can offer as much help as possible on the ground. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Source: Facebook Because we Carry

Sources

Make an Impact

Support U.N.H.C.R.

The U.N. tries to help as many refugees as possible but they lack money. Support them here.