When you were a child, do you remember how it felt when one of your favourite Christmas presents was taken away from you?
Well that’s how many will feel for many on 31 December when free movement between the UK and the EU comes to an end,
For millions of Britons and EU citizens, the gift of free movement gave them the choice to live in the EU or the UK and/or to spend substantial amounts of time there, studying, working or as retirees. Things will be much tougher for those who want to do this in the future.
To mark and to mourn the passing of the right to free movement, the Brussels-based campaign group New Europeans is organising a 12 hour online vigil from 11am until 11pm GMT on 31 December when freedom of movement comes to an end.
The vigil will include live testimonies and singing, pre-recorded conversations and performances and will be Facebook live-streamed here.
There will also be a showing of the award-winning film A Peace of Europe by Thom Jackson-Wood about peace-building in the unionist and nationalist communities in Northern Ireland .
During the event, participants and those watching will be invited to sign a declaration of solidarity between people in the UK and people in the rest of Europe.
Speaking about the event, Roger Casale, a former MP and the founder of New Europeans said “We have invited people from all over Europe to share their memories and tell their stories. In a show of solidarity we ask people to look beyond politics at the human lives that have been touched in so many positive ways as a result of freedom of movement and the overcoming of borders.”
For more information and to take part, click here.
