The Game

In addition to helping families and individuals in need in Slovenia and abroad, Caritas Slovenia has always offered assistance to migrants and refugees, who had to leave their homes due to wars, persecution, climate change, hunger, unemployment and poverty.

On their path to survival and a more dignified life, many migrants are victims of rape, human trafficking, violence, criminal smuggling organizations, and some unfortunately also lose their lives. This tragedy is currently occurring right next to us, in already poor Bosnia and Herzegovina, where migrants are trapped without food, housing, hygiene items and schooling. It is especially difficult for them in the cold winter. Among them are families with children and unaccompanied minors.

In their many attempts to come to Europe and live a life worthy of a human being – which is extremely difficult for them because of the lack of solidarity on the part of EU countries, including Slovenia – migrants are repeatedly beaten and treated with contempt, their shoes and jackets taken away ... They are denied basic human rights. They call these attempts to enter the EU "the game" – the game that is squeezing the last drops of power and dignity from them.

Caritas Slovenia will partner with RTV Slovenia with the aim of helping Slovenians to properly understand why people are leaving their homes and what is happening to migrants and refugees waiting in our vicinity – in front of the gates of Europe – to live a dignified life. From March to July 2021 we will prepare and screen a 50-minute documentary film entitled “The Game”. Sharing personal stories of migrants, the documentary will show the difficult conditions in which they live in Bosnia and Herzegovina and on their way to Slovenia. In addition to the screening on RTV Slovenia, the film, which will also be subtitled in English, will be available at events and platforms organized by Caritas at home and in the EU countries, and will be available to Slovenian schools together with workshops.

Deeper understanding of the situations migrants go through in Bosnia and on the way to the EU among Slovenian youth and adults will also encourage more solidarity to help migrants and refugees and their acceptance into our society. The film will be the basis for discussions about this burning issue in Slovenia and elsewhere in the EU. It will also involve politicians who have the power to change these bad asylum policies and enable people to have safe migration routes.