Moviment Graffitti stands "against the oppression and exploitation of people, the environment and animals", and for "social justice, equality and sustainability", "with a vision of freedom and radical democracy". This entails supporting and lobbying for fairer workers’ rights such as an increase in the minimum wage and working towards a new and equal economic system in which exploitation has no place. This includes standing against the destruction of the environment, illegal developments and the privatisation of public spaces. Moviment Graffitti stands for the well-being of all humanity and thus, for the right of migration for all and against a world with man-made borders. An important part of standing for a more just world is actively working to eradicate racism and xenophobia by organising actions and information campaigns as well as pushing for migrants’ rights. One campaign that the movement feels strongly about is showing international solidarity with the plight of Palestinians by raising awareness of the cruel and constant injustice and discrimination they face every day at the hands of the Israeli state. Current prominent members of the movement include Andre Callus as well as LGBTI and pro-Palestine activist Alex Caruana.
Methods
Moviment Graffitti's most visible activities are direct actions to draw the public's attention to specific issues, including protest demonstrations, banner-drops and sit-ins. While remaining autonomous from economic interests or political parties, Moviment Graffitti has regularly built coalitions and networks with like-minded stakeholders to work as a common front on issues such as racism, destruction of natural landscape and animal rights. It has regularly supported workers’ struggles and voiced its stance in favour of workers’ rights. Moviment Graffitti frequently holds awareness-raising campaigns where it distributes information and engages in discussions in public spaces and other venues such as University, schools and youth centres via film-nights, talks and discussions. The movement has no formal organisation and decisions are taken during regular assembly meeting where anyone who shares the organisation's vision and principles can attend and contribute. Their activities are self-funded through membership-payment and fund-raising events held throughout the year.
History
Founded in 1994, the movement has shown remarkable resilience despite the constant turnover of activists throughout 25 years of activity, with a constant central message defined by James Debono as "playfully left wing, anti-racist, socially liberal and largely focused on land use issues", providing its members with a counterculture-based sense of identity. In the 1990s, members used to communicate over pamphlets sold over University of Malta campus - as later captured in Guze Stagno’s novel Inbid ta’ Kuljum and in Karl Schembri’s Il-Manifest tal-Killer. Ideological references shifted between marxism and anarchism, green politics and new left. It also used to be close to the activists of Żminijietna, and for a brief period around 2000 it used the premises of the defunct Maltese Communist Party in Strait Street, Valletta. While before 1996 it was openly supportive of the Malta Labour Party, it later switched to closeness to Alternattiva Demokratika, Malta's green party, for whom also worked as recruitment pool. Yet, it also cooperated with other organisations such as Studenti Demokristjani Maltin during the 1996 stipend protests. Its main campaigns have been on land use issues, consistently protesting over-development under any government, and building coalitions with different allies. In terms of political positions, Moviment Graffitti opposed the 1994 Maltese concordat on marriage, called for the decriminalisation of abortion, endorsed Alfred Sant's Labour at the 1996 elections, and in 2000 decided to support Malta's EU accession bid. ;Campaigns
Michael Briguglio, co-founder, later chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika, AD local councillor in Sliema and PN MEP candidate in 2019; sociologist at the University of Malta
