Elvio Pasca
Just how big is the gap between the mainstream narrative and the hard facts on migration and asylum in Europe?
UNITED invites your organisation to nominate participants for the UNITED Conference in Torino, “”Moving Stories: Narratives of Migration Crossing Europe”.
This conference takes place from 22-27 April and will focus on the current negative narrative around migration.
They take our jobs. They put pressure on our social services. They bring war, disease and uncivilised social practices. They degrade our culture and threaten our societies. Everything was better before they arrived…
These are just a few of the myths on migrants and refugees that are routinely spread by the mainstream media and politicians in Europe. Depicting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers as a burden on national economies and a danger to social cohesion, these myths combine to build a specific “narrative” on migration that leads to fear and anxiety among the public and oppressive reactions from governments.
Just how big is the gap between the mainstream narrative and the hard facts on migration and asylum in Europe? How can we understand and challenge this narrative? What can we do to ensure that refugees and migrants are granted the full rights they are entitled to as members of European society? These are the questions that will be dealt with at the upcoming UNITED conference “Moving Stories: Narratives of Migration Crossing Europe”, which will take place near Torino, Italy, from 22 to 27 April 2016.
About the situation in Italy
Due to its location in the centre of the Mediterranean, Italy has always been a gateway to Europe, and is a key destination for refugees coming to Europe from Africa and the Middle East by sea. According to data from the UNHCR, over 144,000 refugees and asylum seekers arrived in Italy by sea in 2015. Flashpoints include the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, but the Italian island that has become most synonymous with Europe’s refugee influx is Lampedusa, located around 250 kilometres off the coast of Libya.
Over the years, the coasts of Italy have been the scene of many tragic losses of life. Of 23,222 documented deaths of migrants and refugees recorded by UNITED since 1993, 11,213 were people attempting to reach Italy, most of them traveling by sea from north Africa.* Considering this situation, it is very appropriate that Italy is the host country for a UNITED conference focusing on the stories of migrants and refugees in Europe.
(* data from internal UNITED database, not the most recent published version of the List of Deaths)
What can you expect from this conference?
Considering this complex situation, our conference aims to create a platform:
– To explore the data and statistics on migration and asylum in Europe and examine the gap between hard facts and media narrative
– To investigate ways of challenging narrative and creating and spreading positive counter-narratives
– To exchange best practices that have already been implemented by organisations all over Europe
– To network, strengthening existing ties and building new relationships for the benefit of the antiracist movement in Europe.
Your knowledge, expertise, and input as a participant will be invaluable. Together with around 70 NGO representatives from more than 30 European countries you will review different perspectives on the situation of migration and asylum in Europe, explore various tools and methods for challenging narratives on migrants and refugees, share best practices and get to know other activists and organisations from every corner of the continent.
That is why we would like to invite your organisation to nominate a delegate for this conference and join us in Italy in order to meet, learn, and network. We offer you the opportunity to get connected and build networks across Europe, to share your approaches in migrant and refugee rights work and contribute to developing new ways for public engagement and media campaigning on the issue.
What is UNITED for Intercultural Actions?
UNITED is the largest pan-European anti-racist network of more than 550 organisations. Twice a year, at the UNITED network conferences, antiracist and human rights activists from all over Europe meet and discuss effective ways of combating racism and discrimination. At a recent UNITED conference held in October 2015 in Hungary, participants from 35 countries discussed the topic of antiracist youth work in Europe.
For an impression from previous conferences have a look at the posts on facebook.com/UNITEDnetworkConference
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The latest version can always be found on the UNITED website.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
If your organisation is interested to nominate a representative, please fill the online expression of interest form in english as soon as possible (deadline 28 February 2016).
