A film about people from post-Soviet countries who devoted their lives to activism in the field of harm reduction, but for one reason or another were forced to leave their countries. Watch the film of DU News, member of the Drugreporter video network about BerLUN!
This is a calm, atmospheric film about people from post-Soviet countries who devoted their lives to activism in the field of harm reduction, but for one reason or another were forced to leave their countries. All of them were sheltered and brought together in Berlin, a city of diversity and freedom.
The organisation of Russian-speaking drug users in Berlin, BerLUN, is a young initiative that unites unique, experienced and very different people at the same time.
(Turn on English subtitles by clicking on the CC button at the right bottom of the video.)
Larisa Solovieva from Kaliningrad, Russia, was involved in the protection of the rights of drug users in her city, but after becoming a victim of a repressive system, she was forced to leave for Germany, fleeing from life imprisonment.
Mikhail Khor is an activist from Belarus. This is what he himself says about his vocation: “In life there comes a time when you understand that you need to change something. This is not yet activism, but the first step towards it”.
For every member of the Berlin community of people who use drugs, social activities to protect the rights of drug users not only became a turning point in life, but also organically manifested their character, and a great desire to do something for the benefit of others.
Belief in the ideals of humanism, respect, and acceptance – it is these values that united the members of BerLUN and allowed them to build common plans for the future outside their home countries.
DU News