Meyrem Almaci: 'Fedactio is an active and diverse organization andrepresents its member associations at a very high level'

Fedactio organized the second session of the series “Antwerp 2018”, in the framework of her purpose to stimulate active citizenship. This time Meyrem Almaci, head of the list of the Groen!-party in Antwerp and Wouter Van Besien, president of Groen! were welcomed in our regional office in Antwerp. The candidate-mayor of Groen! and the president of the party addressed more than ten representatives of our member associations. In the course of the Antwerp municipal elections in October, Fedactio is hosting several meetings between her members and the candidates of the different parties.

Tuesday the 12th of June the Antwerp-region office of our federation organized a second meeting in the series “Antwerp 2018” with the goal to improve active citizenship. President of Groen!, Wouter Van Besien was the first to take the floor and thanked Fedactio for her efforts and the work she has performed. ‘A city is not only formed by politicians but also by her citizens. We are encouraging everyone to vote, because politics is important’, Van Besien announced.

Next, the candidate-mayor of Groen!, the Flemish ecologic party, Meyrem Almaci was given the word and she shared her plans with about ten representatives of our member associations. The head of the list for Groen! explained that she has known Fedactio as a colorful and active organization for the past couple of years, that represents her member associations at the highest level."I’m proud of the enthusiasm, sincerity and professionalism in Fedactio, where many associations can only dream of. The city of Antwerp needs this", she said.

‘The top priority for Groen! is a modern housing policy’, states Meyrem Almaci. Her party wants to work on a housing policy that makes living affordable for everyone.

Almaci’s words about the diversity debate were the following: ‘Groen! wants to establish an Advisory Board for minorities, so that the city council does no longer decide about the clothing of citizens’. The candidate-mayor explained that a headscarf prohibition in public does not fit in the policy of a modern city council. She added that ‘this prohibition does not aim neutrality, emancipation or fighting discrimination’.

“Thanks go out to Betiad”

The head of the Groen!-list demonstrates that fear of innovation is the biggest threat for Antwerp. Her party opts for a green economy, renewable energy, sustainable biochemistry. The candidate-mayor thanked Betiad, member of Fedactio, because they succeeded in putting a message of a sustainable and future-oriented economy into action in the last few years.