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Fourth International Forum on Migration and Peace

3/15/2016

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​Summary
 
The Fourth International Forum on Migration and Peace was held on June 20 and 21, 2013, at New York Law School in New York City. The central theme for discussion was “Human Security, Human Development and International Governance on Migration: The Commitment of Governments and Civil Society Organizations at Local, National and International Levels.” Delegates from all over the globe were invited, including foreign diplomats, civil society representatives, United Nations representatives. Over 200 attended, demonstrating the Forum’s vital importance to all those involved in migration governance.
 
Day 1
 
Day 1, June 20, began with opening remarks from Father Leonir Chiarello, the Executive Director of Scalabrini International Migration Network, who welcomed delegates and emphasized the Forum’s goal to “promote a better governance for international migration.” Jan Eliasson, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, in his remarks, stressed the importance of collaboration between governments and civil society on migration governance. Mercedes del Carmen Guillén Vicente, the Assistant Secretary for Population, Migration and Religious Affairs of Mexico, presented the commitment of Mexico in promoting the rights of migrants. Nicholas DiMarzio, the Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, emphasized the common good as background to guarantee the human dignity and human rights of migrants. Fr. Alfredo Goncalves, the First Councillor and Vicar General of Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo, Scalabrinians, underlined the positive perception on migration and peaceful coexistence that the Forum is promoting as a best practice for an ethical governance of international migration.
 
In the first panel, on “Economic Security and Social Security: the Challenges of Inequality and Social and Economic Integration of Migrants,” Luis Fernando Carrera, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, emphasized the universality of immigrant history: “We all have immigrant blood.” Fatima Shama, the Commissioner from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs of New York, presented next, discussing how the city of New York had taken initiatives to promote inclusion and equality among immigrant groups. “New York City,” Shama told attendees, “aims to be the most immigrant-friendly city in the world.” After Shama, Olaf Jacob, the South American Coordinator for Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, presented the interconnection between economic equality, migration and democracy. Lastly, Maria Tangonan, the Kairos Youth Coordinator of The Filipino Pastoral Ministry, told attendees of her own personal experiences immigrating to the United States from the Philippines, as well as her struggle finding fair treatment from her employers: “The moment immigrants complain about their employers, we get the axe.”
 
After breaking for lunch, the Forum reconvened for its second panel of the day: “Human Security, Human Development and Human Rights: Trends and Challenges for International Migration Policies.” First to speak was Mercedes del Carmen Guillén Vicente, the Assistant Secretary for Population, Migration and Religious Affairs for Mexico, who discussed how global policy can protect immigrants: “How can governments pay special attention to women and children migrants?” The next featured speaker was Emilio Álvarez Icaza, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, who discussed his personal experiences with immigration in the larger global context of international policy. The third speaker was Donald Kerwin, the Executive Director of the Center for Migration Studies of New York, presented on state and government migration law: “Laws that separate families do not honor the rule of law.” Speaking forth was Colleen Thouez, a Senior Research and Training Advisor at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, who discussed immigration reform: “A human rights based approach (to migration) is rational.” The final speaker was Ilma Paixão, the general manager of the Langer Broadcasting Group, who shared her personal experiences as an immigrant and immigration advocate in the United States: “I became the victim of hate crimes because of my immigrant status.”
 
After a short coffee break, the Forum resumed with the third and final panel of the day: “South-South and South-North Migration: Policies and Civil Society Participation.” First to speak was Paulo Sérgio de Almeida, the President of the National Immigration Council for Labor Ministry of Brazil, who presented on the immigration policies of Brazil. The second speaker was Jorge Martínez, a researcher at the Population Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, who discussed immigration in Southern and Latin America: “Almost 30 million Latin American and Caribbean are living outside of their countries.” Next to speak was Gabriela Rodríguez, the Director of Centro Internacional para los Derechos Humanos de los Migrantes in Costa Rica as well as the Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. She discussed causes of migration within a global context and presented concrete proposals to protect human rights of migrants and their families. The fourth and final speaker was Nimbe Gonzalez, the Director in Department of Social Services at the Casa del Migrante Tapachula, who presented on the relationship between poverty, fear, and negative perceptions of migration.
 
Day 2
 
Day 2, June 21, opened with the first panel of the day, “North-North and North-South Migration: Migration Policies and Civil Society Participation.” The first speaker, Joseph Chamie, Former Director of the United Nations Population Division, presented current migration data and trends and their development over recent years: “By 2050, I estimate that there will be half a billion migrants.” The next featured speaker was Charles Wheeler, the Director of National Legal Center for Immigrants for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, who discussed the history of American immigration policy. The third speaker on the panel was Sara Campos, an independent writer and consultant, a former staff attorney with the National Immigration Law Center and Director of the Asylum Program for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco. She too spoke on civil society participation in American immigration policy. The last speaker was Cecilia Imaz, a Professor-researcher from the National University of Mexico, who discussed American-Mexican immigration, past and present.
 
In the final panel of the Forum, titled “Toward an International Governance of Migration: Citizenship and the Inclusion of Migrants,” Mårten Grunditz, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, discussed the UN’s role in shaping immigration and migration policy. The next speaker was Yanerit Morgan, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, who discussed the international communities’ response to global migration trends. Third to speak was Michele Klein Solomon, the Permanent Observer of the International Organization for Migration to the United Nations, who spoke on treatment of migrants and perspectives on immigration: “To make migration work, we have to treat migrants as active agents of change.” The next speaker was Fatima Shama, who returned to the Forum for its second day, this time to speak on discrimination and inclusion of migrants: “The immigrants of yesterday are the discriminators of today.”  The last speaker of the Forum was John Bingham, the Coordinator of Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development. He presented on civil society and governance in relation to migration.
 
After the closing of the final panel, Father Leonir Chiarello again took to the podium to share his thanks for all those who attended and participated in the conference, as well as all those whose support was integral to its success. In addition, he presented the Final Declaration of the Forum, reminding the participants: “Migrants are key actors in global development by building inter-cultural bridges.” 
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IMPORTANT FIGURES FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES GATHER AT THE IV INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND PEACE

3/15/2016

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- Topics for discussion include human insecurity, human development, international migration governance and commitments to be assumed by national governments and civil societies -
 

NEW YORK - June 20, 2013 - Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN), along with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs in New York, the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations and the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS), announce that the IV Forum on Migration and Peace will be held at the New York Law School, in New York City on June 20 and 21, 2013. The Forum will focus on creating a dialogue on migration issues in the current global context; aiming to not only present the current challenges facing human mobility, but also to discuss possible lines of action and leadership that governments and civil societies should consider, both from a local perspective as well as globally, in a world that seems to be increasingly integrated in economic, political, social and cultural spheres.
 
For SIMN, planning and creating this forum has been a very satisfying experience as we have been able to demonstrate our yearly progress. Since the first Forum was held in 2009 in Antigua, Guatemala, SIMN has faced many challenges, but, based on our ever-maturing experiences in context with our work, we have been able achieve much in our forums. We have been able to discuss short term decisions, achieve tangible solutions that ensure recognition of the promotion of the dignity of migrants and their families, and promote greater awareness of governments and civil society entities linked to migration. Furthermore, new policies that respect the human rights of migrants have been defined, which should no longer be part of a discourse, but, instead should become laws, clear and highly ethical, that then will allow human development of migration flows.
 
John Baptist Scalabrini, Founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles Scalabrinians, argued that emigration in most cases is a disadvantage for the individual and often simply cannot be avoided, becoming a necessity for people fleeing violence in their own countries or for those seeking better prospects for development. Currently, migration also cannot be considered simply a necessity, but, also as a right, an idea which the IV Forum aims to reflect.
 
Human security and development, public safety, economics, social, environmental, and food concerns, as well as global governance of migration, will be the main topics of this forum, which will also feature high level speakers including Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York; Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; and other significant figures from the political, academic, institutional, religious fields and migrant organizations.
 
“Migration is a phenomenon inherent to human history that requires an ethical commitment from governments and civil society organizations, resulting in the definition and implementation of comprehensive policies and concrete programs to ensure the dignity and rights of migrants and their families. The Forum is a space for dialogue and definition of concrete actions to promote the ethical commitment of governments and civil society figures,” says Leonir Chiarello, Executive Director of SIMN.
 
The IV Forum will feature more than 250 highly ranked guests. At a time when many countries are discussing the creation of new immigration policies, as well as the real benefits that migration may bring them, the Forum becomes a key event, not only because of its topics and speakers, but, also by its global context which calls for concrete action on a phenomenon that mobilizes the most important things that we are able to care about: other people.

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