JUST ALONG THE BORDER EUROPE OF RIGHTS, EUROPE OF WALLS The conference on the EU policies on migration was held on 24th October 2016 in Turin, organized by AICCRE, the International Training Centre of the ILO in collaboration with the Piedmont Regional Council – Regional Committee for Human Rights. The event took place at the Conference Centre in the Piedmont pavilion at the International Training Centre of the ILO. An international event to raise the awareness of the European Charter of Human Rights (2001) and the value of the European experience when we deal with refugees. The opportunity of exchange experiences between EU/national/regional/local governments and other countries to tackle poverty and unemployment with decentralized cooperation.
Target group(s) / Audience. -Local and regional governments -Intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions -International government(s) -Civil society organisations -General public / citizens -Students (Liceo/University). Participants -Giuseppe Casale, Deputy Director of ILO-Cif; -Stephane Jaquemet, UNHCR delegate for Southern Europe; -Miriam Boudraa, expert for Cif-ILO labor migration; -David Rigallo, Regional Secretary AICCRE Piedmont;-Fahd George, vice president of the Municipality of Achkout-Lebanon; -Lahcen iIn, intercultural mediator and cooperating in Casablanca-Morocco; -Jean Léonard Touadi University of Tor Vergata, Rome; -Rey Carla, AICCRE Secretary General; -Mauro Laus, President of the Regional Council of Piedmont; -Cerruti Monica, Vice Governor of Piemonte Region; –Condipodero Patrizia, Vice Mayor of Condipodero Municipality; -Turin Municipality (representatives); -Liceo Altiero Spinelli (students); -Turin University (students). Target countries:EU Member states (Italy) and non EU Member States (Morocco, Lebanon). Outputs. The refugee crisis with the many lives lost along the escape routes and its burden of human suffering, is putting considerable strain not only on the EU political awareness, but also on its own social and civil project, which is based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2001). In the last three years, the EU Member States have failed to adopt a collective and effective policy with regard to the increasing number of refugees escaping the countries close to the EU borders. The Conference has analyzed the European policies on migration and asylum, their contradictions and their impact on local communities.
Mauro Laus, President of the Regional Council of Piedmont and of the Human Rights Committee opened the Conference, stating that “The way to a jointly responsible welcome can be built. Today more than ever it is necessary that the European Agenda on Migration abandon the centralized approach and go back to enhance the principle of subsidiarity on which the EU policy is based, taking due account of the local and regional authorities. It is more necessary than ever for local authorities to be economically supported and to get involved in the consultation phase during the implementation of the measures proposed by governments and by the EU; to draw a distinction between asylum seekers and economic migrants; to strengthens the fight against the illegal trafficking in human beings; to ensure the access of local and regional authorities to national and European funds, such as Asylum and Migrations Funds, the European social fund and the External Borders Funds”.
“You cannot expect to solve an issue of epic proportion only through voluntary work or human sensitivity of mayors and citizens” addressed Carla Rey, AICCRE Secretary General to the assembly, “Europe must roll up the sleeves and speed up programs and procedures”. AICCRE is in line with the remarks made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Gentiloni, that not only Europe has to respect its commitments on the relocation of migrants, but has to release the funds as soon as possible according to the Migration Compact. Besides, Rey continuous, “the overall approach to the phenomenon presupposes multilevel involvement, and above all must have an unequivocal and clear vision. I note with regret that this overview does not exist”. Moreover, she urged that “the European Union must give absolute importance to the cooperation policies and dialogue with Third Countries, place where the migratory phenomena is originated, by putting local authorities at the center of the project”. The exchange of concrete experiences and best practices of migrants integration and asylum seeker in Italy and in North African countries. A special focus of the seminar was dedicated on the important role of mediators. Al the experiences will be disseminated at National level by AICCRE.
First of all, all of the contributions wholeheartedly agree on this: our Europe of 2030 will have built a long-term vision through specific migrant integration programmes. These programmes will have adopted a big picture approach, from the first contacts with emergency and reception services to the integration of refugees as they gradually attain economic and social self-sufficiency through school and work and the feeling of belonging to, of being a part of the “host” society. These integration programmes will be for all immigrants, regardless of their status; and they will be financed through public funds specifically earmarked for refugee assistance and made possible through local financing reforms. There is one element that is recurring in the local examples of best practice: the existence of a municipal councilor in charge of the welcoming and the integration of refugees. Another good example: using the funds set aside for refugees to organize a call for proposals aimed at members of civil society, at citizens. These programmes will need to be established using an integrated approach that involves several levels of governance: horizontally, with the actors closest to migrants and civil society; but also a partnership between the local and regional, central and European authorities. The role of the European Commission will be crucial for the EU and for neighboring and candidate countries given the direct support it provides to local and regional governments for their integration efforts through programmes that were created with governance in partnership as an essential prerequisite. The integrated approach will also be used in many public policies, beginning with education, continuing training and employment.
Visibility The use of social media, the participation of an International presse agency, facebook, articles, audio and video content made by a local Piedmont tv, tweets, social media posts, banners, leaflets, the publication of the extract of the seminar. Satisfaction evaluation The interest of the audience and the numerous questions from the public demonstrates that the seminar was focused on very interesting topics as human rights and social integration of migrants and that there is a strong need to raise citizens and LGs awareness on those subjects. Not last, the participation of more than 200 people is an added value. ments