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Two good reasons for choosing Venice

There are at least two good reasons for choosing Venice as the site of ITE Session on tourism.

First. Venice is one of the saddest examples of the pressure caused by tourism: this unique city, subjected to policies prioritising the tourism industry, has experienced massive dislocations - effectively evictions through economic methods - that has seen its population reduced to less than 54,000 in 2017 compared to 175,000 in 1953. Meanwhile, Venice is undergoing growing tourism pressure with 9 million overnight tourists and 24 million commuter visitors in 2016.

Secondly, while the Municipal administration does nothing to curb the death of the living city and its transformation into an open-air museum, a lot of people and social organizations are struggling against evictions and depopulation. Every day there are actions against evictions, protests against big cruise ships, and mobilizations and cultural activities by affected communities.

The ITE Session is independent because it is supported from the social movements and the civil society

The Session is supported by the International Alliance of Inhabitants, the Local Organizing Committee, set up together with all the main social organizations in Venice involved in struggles for the right to housing and against the depopulation of the city (Unione Inquilini, Assemblea Sociale per la Casa, Eddyburg, Venessia.com, Generazione '90, Garanzia Civica).

Additionally this proposal was welcomed by several organizations, including more than 30 participants from 19 countries from all continents participating in the "Transforming Tourism" meeting (Berlin, 3-6 March 2017) organized by Tourism Watch and launching the "Berlin Declaration ".
The Session is possible thanks to the pooling of social capital, the volunteering of members of supporting organizations and the cooperation of other volunteers as the interpreters. It also counts on the collaboration of organizations devoted to the defence of human rights and on the partial support (to date) of Bread For the World – Protestant Development Service.

Organisers of the ITE Session on Tourism

The 2017 Session of the Tribunal is a follow-up of the People' Social Forum Resistance Habitat III (Quito, 2016), an event organised within the framework of the World Zero Evictions Days by the International Alliance of Inhabitants in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee, set up together with all the main social organizations in Venice involved in struggles for the right to housing and the depopulation of the city (Unione Inquilini, Assemblea Sociale per la Casa, Eddyburg, Venessia.com, Generazione '90, Garanzia Civica), and with the participation of the most important international networks for the right to habitat as well as Italian social inhabitants organisations.

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