Moviment Graffitti will be, alongside a number of other organisations, protesting against the hyper-commercialisation of student life at the University of Malta. The protest will be held on Friday 4th at 12:30, in front of the Cake Box near Campus Hub. University students are constantly bombarded with materialistic, commercial values, with Campus Hub being the most visual culmination of this problem.

The facilities surrounding the University of Malta have become a capitalist social space that forces students to be consumers in order to make use of them. As the site of the last bookshop is proposed to turn into hotels, we question the representation of commercial outlets compared to spaces that foster more student-centred characteristics, such as bookshops, common areas and work areas. Campus Hub, a capitalist venture on public land with only profits in mind, has brought this fact into the limelight.

This land bought by the University has been given to the private sector for profits without any consultation with students. What Campus Hub represents goes counter to what University life should be: a time for learning and exploring new viewpoints. Instead, students are constantly being pushed to mindlessly take part in the current status quo that ultimately aims to exploit students and workers. This was seen during Freshers’ Week at University where Campus Hub was used as part of a dystopian stunt to promote the venue, and where big businesses have increasingly taken precedence over student societies.

While part of the current public outcry stems from an exponential hike in parking prices within Campus Hub, this is only a symptom of the underlying problem. The poor public transport system and infrastructure that have led to student car dependency need to be addressed. We reiterate calls made by Moviment Graffitti and other NGOs that the philosophy surrounding our transport infrastructure needs a complete overhaul so that students, among other members of society, need not rely on private cars and the extensive areas of land lost to parking spaces.

The development of students into key players in society must be given priority over their perceived role as consumers and future workforce. We are therefore calling for the concession agreement for Campus Hub to be published, and ultimately for the space to be nationalised and run by the University in conjunction with students. The privatisation of the land has ensured that it can only be enjoyed as a consumer, when it could have been a prime social space. We are also demanding more direct and frequent bus routes to the University, as well as safe and efficient walking and cycling routes leading to University.

The link to the event can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/858975808440559

This press statement is endorsed by Moviment Graffitti, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU), Extinction Rebellion Malta, Malta Medical Students Association (MMSA), Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GĦSL), The Third Eye and Malta Health Students’ Association (MHSA).

Il-Moviment Graffitti, flimkien ma’ numru ta’ għaqdiet oħra, se jkun qed jipprotesta kontra l-iper-kummerċjalizzazzjoni tal-ħajja studenteska fl-Università ta’ Malta. Il-protesta se ssir il-Ġimgħa 4 ta’ Novembru fin-12:30pm quddiem il-Cake Box ħdejn Campus Hub. Studenti universitarji huma kontinwament bbumbardjati b’valuri materjalistiċi u kummerċjali, bil-Campus Hub jilħaq il-qofol l-iktar viżibbli ta’ din il-problema.

Il-faċilitajiet ta’ madwar l-Università ta’ Malta saru spazju kapitalista li jġiegħel lill-istudenti jkunu konsumaturi sabiex jagħmlu użu minnhom. Hekk kif is-sit tal-aħħar ħanut tal-kotba qed jiġi propost li jinbidel f’lukandi, naraw ukoll l-ammont kbir ta’ ħwienet kummerċjali meta mqabbla ma’ spazji li jrawmu karatteristiċi li għadhom x’jaqsmu mal-istudenti, bħal ħwienet tal-kotba, żoni komuni u żoni tax-xogħol u studju. Campus Hub, intrapriża kapitalista fuq art pubblika li għandha biss il-profitti bħala għan tagħha, xeħet dawl fuq dan kollu.

Din l-art li xtrat l-Università ta’ Malta ingħatat lill-privat għall-profitt mingħajr ebda konsultazzjoni mal-studenti. Dak li jirrappreżenta Campus Hub imur kontra dak li għandha tkun il-ħajja universitarja: żmien għat-tagħlim u tfittix ta’ perspettivi ġodda. Minflok, l-istudenti qed jiġu mbuttati kontinwament biex jieħdu sehem fl-istatus quo attwali li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar għandu l-għan li jisfrutta l-istudenti u l-ħaddiema. Dan deher waqt Freshers’ Week fl-Università fejn il-Campus Hub intuża bħala parti minn stunt distopiku biex jippromwovi l-post, u fejn in-negozji l-kbar kulma jmur qed jieħdu preċedenza fuq is-soċjetajiet tal-istudenti.

Filwaqt li parti mir-rabja pubblika għandha x’taqsam maż-żieda kbira fil-prezzijiet tal-parkeġġ fi ħdan Campus Hub, dan huwa biss sintomu tal-problema. Jeħtieġ li jiġu indirizzati s-sistema u l-infrastruttura fqira tat-trasport pubbliku li wasslu għal dipendenza fuq il-karozzi mill-istudenti. Intennu s-sejħiet li saru mill-Moviment Graffitti u NGOs oħra li l-filosofija madwar l-infrastruttura tat-trasport teħtieġ reviżjoni sħiħa biex l-istudenti, fost membri oħra tas-soċjetà, ma jkollhomx għalfejn jiddependu fuq karozzi privati u art mitlufa għall-parkeġġi.

L-iżvilupp tal-istudenti f’atturi ewlenin fis-soċjetà għandu jingħata prijorità fuq l-irwol perċepit tagħhom bħala konsumaturi u forza tax-xogħol futura. Għalhekk qed nappellaw biex il-ftehim ta’ konċessjoni għall-Campus Hub jiġi ppubblikat, u fl-aħħar mill-aħħar li l-ispazju jiġi nazzjonalizzat u jkun immexxi mill-Università flimkien mal-istudenti. Il-privatizzazzjoni ta’ din l-art fissret li din tista’ titgawda biss bħala konsumatur, meta setgħet kienet spazju soċjali ewlieni. Qed nitolbu wkoll rotot tal-karozzi tal-linja aktar diretti u frekwenti lejn l-Università, kif ukoll rotot sikuri u effiċjenti għall-mixi u r-rota li jwasslu għall-Università.

Il-link għall-avveniment jista’ jinstab hawn: https://www.facebook.com/events/858975808440559

Din l-istqarrija għall-istampa hija approvata mill- Moviment Graffitti, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU), Extinction Rebellion Malta, Malta Medical Students Association (MMSA), Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GĦSL), The Third Eye u Malta Health Students’ Associ