Invitation to hybrid press conference
Berlin, 28.04.2025. At the beginning of May 2015, German Captain Klaus Vogel founded the search and rescue organisation SOS Humanity in Berlin (initially as the German founding association of SOS Mediterranee). Since then, SOS Humanity, supported by civil society, has rescued more than 38,000* people from distress at sea on the Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy. The crew of the organisation’s rescue ships, since 2022 the Humanity 1, cares for the survivors on board and bring them to a place of safety in Italy.
However, instead of paying tribute to the non-governmental search and rescue organisations, coastal states are increasingly hindering their lifesaving work at sea. SOS Humanity is defending itself with civil society protests and legal means and is campaigning for human rights to be respected.
Details
SOS Humanity: 10 years of search and rescue in the Mediterranean – Review and publication of the report “Borders of (In)humanity”: Effects of the outsourcing of border management by the EU and its member states to Libya and Tunisia with exclusive testimonies of rescued people on human rights violations.
Monday, May 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
Online via Zoom (see details below) and in person: Federal Press Office (Visitors’ Center), Room 1, Reichstagufer 14, 10117 Berlin, Germany
– Dr. Klaus Vogel (founder, captain, historian)
– Till Rummenhohl (Managing Director)
– Live connection to the rescue ship Humanity 1: Marie Michel (advocacy manager, currently on board as a human rights observer)
– Anne-Katrin Klotzsch (midwife, on a rescue mission in 2023)
– Sasha Ockenden (author of the report, member of the communications department)
The press conference will take place in a hybrid format. It will be held in German with translation into English (subtitles visible for online participants).
Questions can be asked after the presentations also in English (via ‘Zoom’ in the chat.) For admission on site in Berlin, an ID or annual accreditation from the German Federal Press Office is required. After the press conference, the participants will be available for interviews also in English.
Please register for the participation, both online or in person, by sending an e-mail to press@sos-humanity.org.
We will send you the dial-in link (Zoom) on 2nd May. Online/telephone interviews in English for the afternoon can be arranged, also with crew members on board Humanity 1 (provided their availability in the rescue operation).
*Total of those rescued by the SOS Mediterranee network from 2016-2021 and those rescued by SOS Humanity from 2022-2025 (first quarter).
More information about SOS Humanity and the rescue missions in the Mediterranean can be found in our press kit.
Contact:
Press Officer Petra Krischok, presse@sos-humanity.org, Tel. +49 (0) 176 552 506 54
Image and video material for editorial purposes of SOS Humanity rescue missions since 2022 can be found under this link. Please mention photographer’s name / SOS Humanity when using.