Delegates from the International South have been denied visas to attend Copenhagen’s UIA World Congress of Architects this summer time by the Danish authorities, regardless of the occasion’s acknowledged purpose being “go away nobody behind”.
Kabage Karanja, co-founder of Kenyan structure studio Cave Bureau, instructed Dezeen that one of many workforce members behind its Louisiana exhibition proven on the congress had their visa software “unjustifiably rejected”.
Regardless of Karanja talking on the July occasion, his spouse, mom and sister have been additionally denied visas, he mentioned.
“Very clear discrimination”
“Over the previous 12 months my household has travelled to Canada, the US, and different components of the world with none of them ever having their visas denied, so doubtless there’s very clear discrimination happening in Denmark,” mentioned Karanja.
In one other case, a participant from Pakistan was instructed her visa was rejected as a result of the Danish authorities considers individuals from the nation to be an unlawful immigration threat.
An govt order from the Danish authorities “on Aliens’ Entry to Denmark on the Foundation of a Visa” contains Pakistan in a small group of nations whose residents are deemed “as posing a very excessive threat of immigration into Denmark or different Schengen nations”.
Karachi-based architect and WM Artistic Studio researcher Ilsa Ahmed was invited to the congress to current her work on constructing ladies’s shelters.
“Whereas I perceive that each nation has the correct to make sure protecting legal guidelines in opposition to unlawful immigrants, I used to be nonetheless stunned that despite the fact that the paperwork connected to the applying have been full and bonafide, I used to be nonetheless refused entry based mostly on probably the most imprecise motive,” Ahmed instructed Dezeen.
She claimed that the Danish Ministry of Overseas Affairs initially refused to rethink regardless of a request from the UIA congress organisers – however that on their insistence, the choice was finally overturned and she or he was in a position to current her analysis in Copenhagen.
“However many others weren’t in a position to make it as a result of Danish visa insurance policies,” added Ahmed.
“It’s a disgrace, as a result of this might have been a career-changing alternative for a lot of people very similar to myself.”
Dezeen understands there have been different circumstances of delegates experiencing visa points.
A supply near the organisation of the congress claimed some individuals who had been invited to make displays on the congress have been compelled to take action on-line after being denied entry to Denmark.
Newest instance of visa denials
It’s the newest instance of architects from the International South being prevented from attending landmark structure occasions, after related points on the Venice Structure Biennale in Could.
“We have been sorry to study that some contributors couldn’t get a visa for travelling to Copenhagen,” mentioned UIA World Congress Copenhagen 2023 chief govt Mette Lindberg.
“Regardless of these unlucky circumstances we had a profitable worldwide occasion with contributors from 135 nations which created a dynamic, numerous and galvanizing environment.”
Dezeen contacted the Danish Ministry of Overseas Affairs for remark however didn’t obtain a response.
The picture is courtesy of UIA World Congress of Architects.
