integration Archives - aditus foundation

When migrants and refugees speak for themselves…

…their narratives are more authentic and hard-hitting! We are super happy to share a Shadow Report on integration issues, research and produced by a group of migrants and refugees in Malta.

Produced in the context of our 2incING project, the report is the first-ever technical submission giving a direct and unfiltered voice to migrants and refugees. This is what happens when migrants and refugees speak for themselves!

The Shadow Report, available in English and in Maltese, looks at several aspects of life in Malta. It provides a general overview of migration in Malta and then dives into specific themes: documentation, employment, citizenship, marriage, housing, asylum, and statelessness.

An interesting blend of human stories and technical observations, the Shadow Report marks a significant turning point for our own work with migrants and refugees.

Watch our video celebrating refugee voices!

Our project 2incING is all about strengthening and celebrating the voices of migrants and refugees. Why? Because, like everyone else, they are not passive subjects of our laws, our policies, our systems and our norms. They are active players in our communities who should have more control over their futures here in Malta. This video is all about celebrating their voices!

Our project tries to bring communities and Government closer together to talk, to listen, to engage and to commit to working together for a better place for all.

World Refugee Day 2023: How can Malta be more welcoming to refugees?

Malta Refugee Council statement on World Refugee Day 2023

Every year, World Refugee Day invites us to remember the men, women and children who were forced to flee their homes in search of safety. This year, to mark Malta’s forthcoming launch of its second National Integration Policy and Action Plan, the Malta Refugee Council wishes to urge Malta to develop a clear and inclusive pathway towards refugees being accepted and welcome.

Refugees who have settled here need better guidance on what it takes for them to be truly welcome in Malta. From the moment of their arrival, they are repeatedly told that Malta can never be their home. This harsh message follows them along their paths, where they are constantly subjects of criticism, discrimination and exclusion. After years of life in Malta and despite their best efforts, they remain on-lookers of Malta’s social and cultural life, burdened with the knowledge that Malta will never really be home.

‘I receive much more than I give’

Emmanuelle Gautier (55) lives in a small village of 300 people in the Beaujolais region in France. The web journalist and author of podcasts is a volunteer at Forum réfugiés, a non-profit organization that – amongst others – supports the integration of refugees into French society.

‘Two years ago, the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan really moved and shocked me’, Emmanuelle says. ‘It was then that I decided to offer my help to refugees. In my opinion, it is essential to offer linguistic and cultural bridges to these people, so they can get a foothold in France.’

“Things that matter to the communities”: watch our video refugees and migrants meeting Government partners

On Friday 27 January we organised a colloquy between refugee-led organisations and Government. The event was a joint effort between aditus foundation, African Media Association (Malta) and Spark15, part of the project 2incING. After so many months of virtual conversations, the colloquy was a needed face to face conversation about important integration themes: documentation, education, citizenship, political participation. As such, it was an important forum bringing refugees, migrants and Government to the integration table.

Watch our video clip on refugees and migrants meeting Government partners.