THE NEW GOSPEL: THE FIRST MISSION. By Milo Rau

Palermo: Port of Sant’Erasmo, (h. 15:00) St. Maria dello Spasimo, (h. 16.00)

10th November

10 November, Arrival at the port of Sant’Erasmo and procession, h. 15:00

10 November, Performance at St. Maria dello Spasimo, h. 16.00 – h.18.30

What would Jesus preach in the 21st century? Who would be his disciples? And how would today’s supporters of secular and spiritual power respond to the return and provocations of the most influential prophet and revolutionary in human history? With “The New Gospel”, the celebrated playwright and director Milo Rau and his team return to their origins by staging the Gospel as the passion of an entire civilization.

The well-known activist Yvan Sagnet is playing the first Black Jesus, and the twelve apostles are migrants who work in the fields and live in the ghettos of Southern Italy, activists and small scale farmers. After the crucifixion in Matera – the location of the most famous Jesus films from Pasolini to Mel Gibson – and the resurrection in Rome – the centre of political and religious power – the new Jesus and his apostles set off on their “first mission” to Palermo. In reference to the famous missions of the Apostle Paul, the message of the “Revolt of Dignity“ will be universalized and address citizens of all countries and cultures.

On Sunday, they will arrive from the sea to the port of Sant’Erasmo. From there, the performance will cross the city before culminating in a multimedia performance and a political assembly at Spasimo.

SIGN THE MANIFESTO

The European idea is coming to an end. A policy of fear, exclusion and exploitation has replaced the principles of freedom, equality and human dignity to which the European Union unconditionally committed itself in its founding treaty.

For the sake of profit, European companies are destroying entire territories, forcing those who live there to flee and thereby creating millions of landless and homeless people. By speculating on land and natural resources and cornering markets, they are ruining the local producers. The victims of this global exploitation are being criminalized.

What is more, European governments cooperate with countries in which people are exposed to torture, slave labor and sex work. They stood idly by while over 30,000 people drowned in the Mediterranean. They accept that in the heart of Europe, millions of migrants are exploited for the production of cheap products. They deny them the right to self-determination, to fair jobs and thereby to the dignity to which all human beings are entitled.

Tolerated by the other member states of the European Union, the Italian Government has now even criminalized the rescue of people drowning. We say: a line has been crossed! We declare:

Freedom of movement is a human right. We demand a global right to travel and right of settlement inside and outside of Europe. One travel document for all human beings regardless of their origins!
Nobody is illegal. Anyone who sets foot on European soil must, upon arrival, have all rights as laid down in the European founding treaty.
All people must have access to adequate housing. Unused infrastructure and abandoned land are public property. We call for the occupation of this space!
Everyone has the right to humane working conditions and fair wages without any discrimination. We demand criminal prosecution of all companies that do not respect this principle, including their worldwide supply and production chains.
Product prices must reflect the fair value of labor. We object to the consumption of goods which is based on human exploitation – in Europe and throughout the world.
Human dignity is the dignity of nature. No more destructive monocultures, fertilisers and herbicides! Food production is not for profit but for the common good of present and future generations.

We declare all regulations and rules that counter the principles outlined here to be invalid. Solidarity instead of exclusion, justice instead of discrimination, sustainability instead of exploitation!

If we do not act now, we are complicit in the ongoing violation of human rights, the resulting calamity of millions and the irrevocable destruction of our planet.

Let us rise, in the name of human dignity and on behalf of the current and all future generations! For when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!

WITH YVAN SAGNET, YUSSIF BAMBA, LUCA CASARINI, VITO CASTORO, MARIE ANTOINETTE EYANGO, PAPA LATYR FAYE, SAMUEL JACOBS, ALEXANDER MARFO, KADIR ALHAJI NASIR, MBAYE NDIAYE, ANTHONY NWACHUKWU, JEREMIAH AKHERE OGBEIDE, LEOLUCA ORLANDO, OSARETIN, ALI SOUMAILA, MOHAMMED SOULEIMAN AND MANY OTHERS

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY MILO RAU DRAMATURGY & RESEARCH EVA-MARIA BERTSCHY SET DESIGN & COSTUMES ANTON LUKAS, OTTAVIA CASTELLOTTI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GIACOMO BISORDI PHOTOGRAPHY ARMIN SMAILOVIC PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT ELISA CALOSI, MASCHA EUCHNER-MARTINEZ, RICCARDO RASCHI TECHNICAL DIRECTION JENS BAUDISCH MAKING-OF CAMERA CRISTINA YURENA ZERR PR MANAGEMENT GIUSEPPE MELILLO, FLORE MURARD-YOVANOVITCH, FRANCA SCHAAD PRESS YVEN AUGUSTIN CONSULTING CLELIA BARTOLI

The events and performances are a coproduction of IIPM – International Institute of Political Murder with Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, Teatro di Roma.

In collaboration with Teatri Uniti di Basilicata, Fruitmarket, Langfilm, European Alternatives and Porco Rosso.

Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation, European Cultural Foundation, GEA – Waldviertler.