Event Participation Archives - Page 5 of 11

aditus foundation at PICUM General Assembly 2017 in Brussels

From 12 to 13 May 2017 members of the Platform of International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) met in Brussels for the Annual Assembly: New Challenges and Opportunities for undocumented Migrants’ Rights.

The General Assembly is a crucial event for PICUM members as it is unique opportunity to come together and talk about the situation of undocumented migrants across Europe and to mobilise around main problems. The Assembly is an essential part of PICUM’s calendar as it enables members to talk about key issues, discuss the events from last year and work on strategies for the next year.

From aditus foundation, I participated in the interactive two-day event which consisted of expert panel discussions on recent migrant policy developments, thematic break-out sessions and ‘floor is yours’ sessions hosted by the members. This year PICUM’s key issues included access to healthcare, fair working conditions, access to justice for undocumented women, children and families.

The Assembly started with a discussion about the current EU policies concerning migration, and main events from last year which have the biggest influence on the issue. During the opening panel, speakers such as Franck Duvell from the University of Oxford, Judith Sargentini (Member of European Parliament), Stephanos Stavros from the Council of Europe and Kadri Soova from PICUM, spoke about the migration crisis in Europe.

Discussions during the conference were mainly focused on the EU’s attempts to regularise the inflow of migrants by negotiating agreements with states through which migrants and refugees are passing to reach the EU. Treaties and agreements with various countries aiming to send refugees back were strongly criticised.

Another important recurring topic was the Dublin Regulation and the negative role it plays in the current situation. All participants agreed that there is an urgent need to change the EU norms concerning the return of refugees to the Member State where they applied for international protection, or through which they originally entered the European Union. It was stressed that all the Member States should share the relocation responsibility of refugees.

Taking into account all the topics raised during the conference, one issue seemed especially crucial as it was common for all the EU. In speeches and during the panel sessions all participants kept mentioning the importance of the fight against hate speech in the context of migration and refugees. Everyone criticised the growth of populism among EU Member States and the negative role played by some governments using this issue in their political activities.

Together with participating in panels and thematic sessions, we had a chance to get to know each other and share experiences. In our discussions we talked about the situation in our home countries and about the biggest challenges everyone is facing in everyday work.

Taking part in PICUM’s General Assembly was an amazing opportunity to meet inspiring people who are very committed in their fight for a better life for migrants.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION: “Protecting Stateless Persons from Arbitrary Detention”

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On 4-5 May 2017, the European Network on Statelessness will hold a major conference in Budapest to launch a new comparative report as well as to provide a platform for concerted region-wide advocacy aimed at protecting stateless persons from arbitrary detention.

The conference is intended to facilitate the sharing of information among stakeholders from across Europe – including lawyers, NGOs and academics as well as representatives from governments, inter-governmental-organisations, ombudspersons/monitoring bodies and other stakeholders mandated to work on issues related to immigration detention.

aditus foundation is a member of the European Network on Statelessness, having also researched and drafted the report on the risk of arbitrary detention for stateless persons in Malta. Our Director will be attending the conference, moderating one of the workshops.

You can find out more about the event and register online here. Registration deadline is 15 March.

aditus at a training on conflict resolution from a gender perspective

14731115_10211166100098291_8041586162302006293_n From 23th to 27^th October 2016, the Toledo International Centre for Peace (CITpax) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Defence and Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, organised the Training workshop Mediation and conflict resolution from a gender perceptive, addressed to women from civil society with a capacity to reach out to decision-makers.

Antonella, our Programmes Officer, flew to Spain, to Toledo, a city that has been known as a city of tolerance or the City of Three Cultures, with the coexistence of Jews, Muslims and Christians.

The seminar promoted women’s capacities in mediation and conflict resolution, it brought together and involved the participation of 12 women from the following countries: Spain, Tunisia, France, Greece, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Besides the overall objective of familiarising women with the techniques and main tools in the field of mediation, the course aimed at sensitising the trainees to the need of active participation in conflict management, both open and latent; strengthen the processes of social dialogues and the civil participation of women.

In our discussions, we shared experiences and good practices, we raised critical points and we explored how the cultural diversity and expansion of mediation practice and the identifying cultural sensitivity of gender stereotype, are focusing the mediation process on the gender power.

The theoretical sessions, the group exercises and the games held during the seminar, demonstrated there is a sense in which human actions are gendered, especially in mediation practice. The trainers suggested ways and means gender difference can be deconstructed in the social space and bring strength to men and women in times of weakness.

The four-day workshop was facilitated by Fadhila Mammar, Adviser of CITpax and Cynthia Petrigh, international expert in humanitarian negotiation and dissemination of humanitarian norms, with more than 20 years’ experience of intervention in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Many issues are still on the table: Where, why and to what extent does feminism interact with security state, how feminist theories can excavate the deep connections between the indigenous dispossession and heteropatriarchy, and the patriarchal structure of all religious authority. The follow up of the training will be the creation of a network of women across borders.

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Blood, art, racism, science: what are we up to?

On 30 September we’ll be participating in Science in the City 2016 with an installation that challenges stereotypes and invites reflection on diversity.

The ‘Science in the City—European Researchers’ Night’ festival, is organised by the University of Malta, the Research Trust of the University of Malta and the Malta Chamber of Scientists together with a large number of partners. Funded by the European Commission’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme H2020 (2014-2020) by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, it is recognized as a ‘festival’ by Europe for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE).

It is supported by Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth & Sport, General Soft Drinks and a number of corporate sponsors.

Entitled ‘Colourism|Haemophobia’, our installation playfully uses blood in order to immerse viewers in questions about identity, prejudice, social cohesion and community.

Essentially, our installation promotes the value of equal human dignity as a fundamental principle and guiding social norm.

The ‘blind’ solidarity expressed when donating blood is a perfect context to underline the need for us to be ‘blind’ to skin colour, and to embrace the common humanity we all share.

Want to know more? Follow the Science in the City programme (regularly updated) for details on our installation’s location…

…and we’ll see you there!

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Social innovation for the integration and inclusion of refugees

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The European Council of Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), in partnership with the Council of Europe and its network of Intercultural Cities, the US Mission to the EU, the Mission of Canada to the EU and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), organized a seminar on social innovation for the integration and inclusion of refugees. Neil (Director) and Antonella (Programmes Officer) participated in the seminar.

The seminar, held in Brussels on 12 and 13 September 2016, aimed to look at innovative methods to foster the participation of asylum-seekers and refugees in societies from arrival to the granting of citizenship or other long-term solution, with a special focus on participatory mechanisms, strategies and tools in order to prepare communities and cities for more inclusiveness.

The two-day seminar hosted speakers ranged from refugee groups to civil society organisations, cities, tech companies, start-ups, and private sector representatives from around Europe. We shared experiences, inspiring tools and successful policies for social integration of refugees. In our discussions, we explored how the challenge lies not only in responding to the most pressing reception needs, such as registration and accommodation, but also in finding new solutions for the effective and sustainable inclusion of refugees in a complex political, social and economic.

Interestingly, the use of technology emerged as one of the most innovative approaches to social change – housing, access to higher education, friendship and inclusion, language barriers, anti-discrimination tool, info provider – with the added value of putting solutions in the hands of refugees and practitioners.

Refugees’ access to higher education and the recognition of their qualifications was a major of discussion, together with strategies that align transformative change efforts made by policymakers and social actors such as NGOs, health services, researchers, foundations, diaspora communities, etc.

“Innovation culture, social innovators, tech approach, fast mobilisation, innovative and entrepreneurial strategies…quite an intense brainstorming! The field of humanitarian innovation presents several transformational challenges relating to refugee inclusion in Europe.

I am looking forward to talking more about this innovation in a number of fields: health & care, education, work integration, sports, microcredit & insurance, housing and digital inclusion.” (Antonella Sgobbo, Programmes Officer)

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