Bucharest, 30th of October 2019
PRESS RELEASE
Advocacy for humanity and solidarity in managing migration and integration of refugees
During October 2019, the Novapolis Association – Center of Analysis and Initiatives for Development and the City Hall of Constanța carried out a series of advocacy actions with the purpose of making heard the voices and stories of migrants from all Europe and aiming at the rethinking of the migration policies based on humanity and solidarity.
In this context, Novapolis Association – Center for Analysis and Initiatives for Development in partnership with Municipality of Constanța, together with the Coalition for Migrants and Refugee Rights (CDMiR) had organized the Advocacy Seminar „The role of the local authorities and multi – stakeholder cooperation in managing migration phenomenon and the inclusion of migrants and refugees”. The event took place in Bucharest as part of the steps taken in Romania and throughout Europe to support the petition ”Make 3rd of October the European Day of Memory and Welcome for immigrants and refugees.
On this occasion – member of CDMiR, NGOs, public institutions, civil society and the academic participants – have debated about the necessity of an integrated approach to migration issues and the management of migratory flows, and the global interdependencies that determine migration flows to European borders, targetting to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 1, 5 , 10, 11 and 16. The main topics of debate were the local experiences and good practices in receiving and working with the immigrants and refugees, the public opinion and the national and local priorities in managing migration and inclusion of migrants and refugees.
One of the guests of the Advocacy Seminar was Mrs. Dina Vardaramatou from Praksis (Development programs, social support and medical cooperation), an NGO from Greece. She presented the experience of Greece, regarding the migration phenomenon and multi – stakeholder cooperation for the reception and assistance of immigrants and refugees at local level, pointing out specific interventions addressed to immigrants arriving by the sea in the Greek islands. Also, she presented an example of good practice, developed at the level of the Greek municipalities – The Council of the Migrant Integration – a consultative organization, who is part of the City Hall and it is run by the elected local councilors and reprezentatives of the migrant communities.
At the same time, within the event were exposed the realities of the migration phenomenon in Romania, through presentations and discussions with a series of local and central authorities, experts and specialists in the field from the General Inspectorate for Immigration – Asylum and Integration Directorate, International Organization for Migration – The office in Romania,UNHCR – Reprezentative in Romania, City Hall Constanta, Institution of the Prefect of Timis County, Ovidius University Constanta, Romanian Association for Quality Promotion and Successful Practices Brasov,Aidrom Timisoara, and with the support of the migrants that were present at the seminar by sharing their experiences. The migrants were from Afghanistan, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Venezuela and they talked about their experiences, about the difficulties they faced during the integration process in the local communities, and also they expressed their dreams and hopes that made them come to Romania.
**More information about the project: http://www.snapshotsfromtheborders.eu/romania-projects/or Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/snapshotsfromtheborders/phone no 0725 259 919 e-mail: asociațianovapolis@gmail.com, contact person Iris Alexe, national coordinator.
ss
