Bahya Benhamid, president of Karavan in Toulouse: “In a society like ours, people have to mix”
On the occasion of Karavan’s 20 years, Bahya Benhamid, president of the association, looks back on two decades of commitment to living together in the social housing district of Empalot in Toulouse.
How was Karavan born?
Karavan was born in 2001 from the cultural activities of the association Vivre ensemble. We are first known for the organization and management of the popular festival “Les rendez-vous du 38”. Faced with the financial charges linked to the success of the event, we decided to create a new association in order to ensure, independently, the maintenance of other actions.
Exactly, what are your actions?
Our actions have above all a cultural and educational aim. Initially, we wanted to allow young people, who were not able to access large performance halls, to attend concerts by well-known artists. As we went along, we became aware that it was essential for people in the neighborhood to be able to express themselves and to leave their homes. At that time, we created writing workshops, lectures-debates, film screenings. The idea was and still is to uplift and open up neighborhood residents to others.
What is the role of Karavan in this popular district?
In a society like ours and in the world as we know it, people need to mix. We are proud, at our level, to allow a mixing that is particularly visible during our actions. Each must learn to live with the other. On the one hand, there are amalgamations and on the other there are young people who know neither the history of their country nor their origins and who, in fact, cannot integrate into another society. This is a visible observation on a larger scale and against which we must react.
You are also fighting, with your means, against domestic violence …
When we put an end to the “Les Rendez-vous du 38” festival, our action took on a field dimension and we made it possible to be more in contact with the inhabitants and their needs. Faced with the emergence of the issue of domestic violence and forced marriage, we decided to create a “forum theater” by calling on professional actors. It is an activity that works very well and allows women to free their words and share their experiences.
What were the consequences of the health crisis on the neighborhood and how did you react?
The health crisis has undoubtedly been indicative of poverty and the digital divide in the neighborhood. During the first confinement, we made the choice, unlike other associations, to continue our activity but always adapting to the context of the moment. In view of the difficulties some people have in writing or even having access to the Internet, we have organized a distribution of travel certificates, from our premises, then in the field. Then, in collaboration with the Abbé Pierre Foundation, we decided to set up a distribution of hygiene kits and then food products. The needs of some residents, who were terrified of the virus, no longer came out and were in immense distress.
What is your wish for the future?
Our main wish is to make the association last and that the succession be assured by the youth. The challenge is to succeed in generalizing this reflection while keeping in mind that if no one chooses where he comes from, we must all live together.
What is your assessment 20 years later?
Overall, the social issues have not changed, precariousness, unemployment, discrimination. When it comes to racism, we know full well that it is a historical process that resurfaces with the evolution and functioning of society. When an event like the 2015 terrorist attacks emerges, almost all of our action is lost and we must redouble our efforts. All it takes is a wick, but we continue to act.
Carole Delga salutes the work of the Karavan association
This Saturday, December 18 in the district of Empalot, the president of the Occitanie Region, Carole Delga, participated in the 20th anniversary of the Karavan association, alongside its president, Bahia Benhamid, and Rachida Lucazeau, regional advisor. Founded in 2001, this Toulouse association makes access to culture a tool for emancipation and the creation of social links. On this occasion, the president of the region was particularly marked by the work carried out by the association’s team and recalled her attachment to the initiatives which manifested living together in all the territories.