7 events have been carried out within the Debating New Phenomena of Refugee Migration in Central Europe project.
Event 1 – Kick-off meeting in Brno
Participation: The event involved all 7 project partners from 7 countries – from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Krakow (Poland), Budapest (Hungary), Zagreb (Croatia), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Vilnius (Lithuania).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Brno (Czech Republic) on 23/09/2016
Short description: The aim of the event was to introduce the goals, contents, financial and administrative rules of the project.
Event 2 – Conference on refugee crisis and radical nationalism in Budapest
Participation: The event involved 55 citizens, including 33 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participant from the city of Debrecen (Hungary), 3 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 1 participant from the city of Berlin (Germany), 2 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Vilnius (Lithuania), 2 participants from the city of Presov (Slovak Republic), 1 participant from the city of Bratislava (Slovak Republic), 1 participant from the city of Bratislava (Slovak Republic), 1 participant from the city of Banska Bystrica (Slovak Republic), 1 participant from the city of Kyiv (Ukraine), 1 participant from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 1 participant from the city of Istanbul (Turkey), 2 participants from the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 1 participant from the city of Darmstadt (Germany).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Budapest, Hungary, from 03/11/2016 to 04/11/2016
Short description: The aim of the event was to focus on the dangers of radicalism and nationalism in Central Europe, the misuse of the so-called refugee crisis and the language attached to it. Different approaches of addressing the nationalism and radicalism were shared and promoted.
Event 3 – Conference on the role of media, journalists and propaganda in the refugee crisis in Prague
Participation: The event involved 120 citizens, including 74 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 1 participant from the city of Bern (Switzerland), 4 participants from the city of Vienna (Austria), 3 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participant from the city of Frankfurt (Germany), 3 participants from the city of Berlin (Germany), 2 participants from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 2 participants from the city of Naxxar (Malta), 2 participants from the city of Rome (Italy), 2 participants from the city of Thessaloniki (Greece), 5 participants from the city of Bratislava (Slovakia), 1 participant from the city of Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), 6 participants from the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 2 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 2 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Rakovski (Bulgaria), 2 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem (Czech Republic), 2 participants from the city of Pilsen (Czech Republic).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Prague, Czech Republic, from 26/01/2017 to 27/01/2017, plus the side event on launching the Push-back report took place in Prague on 25/01/2017
Short description: The aim of the event was exploring the role of media and journalists in the reporting about the refugee “crisis” with examples of better informed and better managed journalists´ work from Austria and Germany.
In the two days long we looked at the work of media and journalists during and after the refugee crisis, we tried to propose what the experts and CSOs can do for journalists and media to make their outputs more balanced and how to loudly name and address the growing problem of propaganda and political populism playing tricky games with myths and facts surrounding the issue of migration. We also looked at how internal political actors are using this media discourse for making their populist arguments more successful.
Event 4 – Conference on the role of volunteers in the refugee crisis in Ljubljana
Participation: The event involved 42 citizens, including 30 participants from the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 3 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 1 participant from the city of Bratislava (Slovakia), 1 participant from the city of Brno (Czech Republic), 3 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Lodz (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participant from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 1 participant from the city of Caracas (Venezuela).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 11/05/2017 to 12/05/2017
Short description: The aim of the event was support and promote the work of volunteers by exchanging the best examples and approaches how to recruit, involve and maintain volunteers working for the not very popular target group in Central Europe – refugees and migrants. The EU Solidarity Corps program was introduced to the participants as well and the UN volunteer program. Possible future scenarios of engagement of EU citizens in shaping future Europe were also explored with the participants having in mind the future convents or public consultation on future Europe and the role of civil society in these consultations.
Event 5 – Conference on new approaches to intercultural education in Krakow
Participation: The event involved 60 citizens, including 28 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Vilnius (Lithuania), 2 participants from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 3 participants from the city of Bratislava (Slovakia), 2 participants from the city of Lodz (Poland), 6 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 2 participants from the city of Maribor (Slovenia), 2 participants from the city of Novo Mesto (Slovenia), 4 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participant from the city of Lublin (Poland), 2 participants from the city of Wroclaw (Poland), 2 participants from the city of Barsbuttel (Germany), 2 participants from the city of Warsaw (Poland).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Krakow, Poland, from 12/06/2017 to 13/06/2017
Short description: The aim of the event was to bring answers to questions about ways of debunking myths and stereotypes about refugees and migrants through education, the role of different actors in education especially at schools, challenges and opportunities of preventing further polarization of social attitudes towards foreigners. The conference was again an opportunity to present examples of good practices from selected European countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Poland. Again, the agenda of future Europe and how to better communicate and educate about the EU policies and plans was an important part of the conference.
Event 6 – Conference on the role of academicians and religious leaders in relation to refugees
Participation: The event involved 72 citizens, including 32 participants from the city of Bratislava (Slovakia), 8 participants from the city of Trnava (Slovakia), 7 participants from the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 7 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 1 participant from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 3 participants from the city of Kabul (Afghanistan), 2 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 1 participant from the city of Geneva (Switzerland), 1 participant from Germany, 1 participant from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participant from the City of Vilnius (Lithuania), 5 participants from Ukraine, 1 participant from the USA, 1 participant from Algeria and 1 participant from Somalia.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Bratislava, Slovakia, from 26/10/2017 to 27/10/2017 with a public discussion starting on 26/10/2017.
Short description: The aim of the event was to gather in Bratislava more than 70 participants from more than 11 countries. The conference was organised by the Slovak Human Rights League and was under the auspices of Professor Jaroslav Šušol, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University. Participants discussed questions related to the role of academia and religious leaders when it comes to State’s politics related to refugees, to influence public discourse and on activism, cooperation and exchange of ideas on future Europe with other stakeholders. The Bratislava conference was among others a unique opportunity to listen to and discuss with Muslim leaders and scholars from different states of Central Europe. Participants also discussed how academicians can contribute to communicating better the real facts about the EU and EU successes in the European Agenda on Migration.
Event 7 – Final conference on the role of civil society and the future Europe
Participation: The event involved 60 citizens, including 33 participants from the city of Zagreb (Croatia), 7 participants from the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 2 participants from the city of Osijek (Croatia), 2 participants from the city of Varazdin (Croatia), 4 participants from the city of Trieste (Italy), 4 participants from the city of Krakow (Poland), 2 participants from the city of Prague (Czech Republic), 2 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Zagreb, Croatia, from 30/11/2017 to 01/12/2017
Short description: The aim of the event was to summarize what the civil society did well and wrong in the so called refugee crises. The participants discussed largely the possible future scenarios of the reform of the EU based on the proposals of the Chief of the European Commission J.-C. Juncker and the Sorbonna proposals of Emmanuel Macron. They also discussed in-depth the state of play of the EU Migration Agenda and possible future creation of the true Common European Asylum System. The Zagreb Declaration summarizing the findings and recommendations out of all six events was also discussed and endorsed by the participants in Zagreb and ideas for future cooperation among the civil society organisations was also discussed.
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The project Debating New Phenomena of Refugee Migration in Central Europe was funded with the support of the European Union under the Programme “Europe for Citizens”.
