Testimonial von Ernst Löschner für Ute Bock
The long list of prizes awarded to Ute Bock for her extraordinary commitment to a human refugee policy and a respectable welcoming culture over the last seventeen years, does not even convey the performance of the former teacher from Vienna to displaced, escaped, stranded and rejected people in Austria has accomplished! She has given thousands a refuge, a home and human warmth. On the other hand, to the Austrian federal governments as well as the xenophobic parts of the population, she persistently and perseveringly held up the mirror reflecting hard-heartedness and xenophobia. The Austrian asylum policy has failed in the last 20 years to manage migration and flight as a human destiny and social issue worthy of dignity.
Ute Bock has been closely associated with Alpine Peace Crossing since our foundation in 2007, as an honorary member and as a participant in the Krimml Peace Dialogue. Together with 15 leading NGOs, APC initiated the petition "Against Inhumanity" in 2013, with five demands to the Federal Government and Parliament. The association "Refugee Project Ute Bock" was one of these NGOs and Ute Bock supported our call for a human refugee policy with this personal quote:
"The fundamental attitude towards refugees would have to change. No one has chosen where he is born. It is a coincidence that we are here and the others there. I am an educator and not a policeman or judge. My job is to help young people to get an education or a job and to help them lead a reasonably livable life. For me, every human being would have the same opportunities and opportunities. I do not think it's wise to create a group of dissatisfied or disadvantaged people. Even if it should happen that these people can return to their homeland, it is better that they have learned something here, have been treated well, and can take the experienced here to their home countries, as they are dissatisfied, who feel Being short-lived are alcoholics, drug addicts and criminals. "
Ute Bock passed away on January 19th, 2018. Alpine Peace Crossing mourns a companion of the APC Peace Hike and fellow campaigner against inhumanity. Our 5 demands are more topical than ever, and we will continue to work in their spirit to ensure that humanity does not become a "foreign word". She lacks us as a like-minded and friend. As an admonisher and role model for empathy and solidarity, she is an integral part of our midst.