In addressing diverse topics related to the social inclusion of refugees and migrants in Europe, the Network for Dialogue convenes a series of webinars with the support of KAICIID’s Dialogue Knowledge Hub. The Network for Dialogue webinars are a great place to learn more from engaging speakers that come from different fields of expertise. Network for Dialogue webinars are recorded and available online for free!
Building trust for a more inclusive Europe: dialogical approaches, between people seeking refuge and the local host community, 18 June 2020
Populist tendencies throughout Europe have sparked fear in host societies, leading to distrust of refugees as well as hate speech and discrimination.
This policy webinar discusses the ways in which trust building can be enhanced to build a more inclusive society for people seeking refuge in Europe. Trust is a powerful force that builds loyalty, increases credibility, and supports effective dialogue. It gives the benefit of the doubt in situations where one wants to be heard, understood, and believed. It also allows people to feel safe and belong. The absence of trust can cause fragmentation, conflict and even war.
Dialogue facilitates the promotion of trust, thereby also building mutual understanding and connection. Dialogue and trust building become inherently more important in a world which is divided due to the strengthening of populist, nationalist and xenophobic forces, especially in Europe. Speakers are Geertrui Lanneau (IOM), Dr. Shannon Pfohman (Caritas Europa) and Thomas Huddleston (Migration Policy Group), the moderator is Maria Lucia Uribe (Arigatou International).
Refugees and migrants in Europe: discrimination and xenophobia during COVID-19, 2 June 2020
Hate speech, discrimination and xenophobia are on the rise due to the current pandemic, and governments and institutions are facing numerous challenges in tackling and addressing this issue. COVID-19 related hate speech has serious implications for minority communities. By focusing on the different challenges refugees and migrants are facing during the pandemic, this webinar explores possible approaches to combat xenophobia, stigmatization and exclusion in different European countries. It also combines insights from academic research and from grassroots work with refugees and migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers are: Mohsin Mohi Ud Din, founder of #MeWe International Inc. (USA); Dr. Ángela María Arbeláez, founder and director of Art Bridges (Greece); Dr. Francesco Fasani, Associate Professor (Reader) at the School of Economics and Finance, Queen Mary – University of London (UK/Italy); and the moderator is Amanda Figueras from Foro Abraham (Spain).
Integration through education: opportunities for refugees and migrants, 16 April 2020
Educational spaces (including informal and non-formal) provide a platform for the social inclusion of students, not just in academic terms, but also through better understanding of the host community. Providing refugees and migrants with opportunities for inclusive, quality education ensures smooth integration for both the newly arrived and their host communities. The use of dialogue to support education is also vital, because it provides refugees with an increased understanding of their rights, supports them in language learning and helps them to better engage with their host country’s culture. Webinar speakers are Barry van Driel, a senior staff member of the Anne Frank House (Netherlands), and Claudia Koehler, Executive Director of Farafina Institute (Germany).
Interreligious dialogue for the social inclusion of refugees and migrants, 12 September 2019
This webinar focuses on defining dialogue, looks at ways in which it can be used in one’s work and at how dialogical approaches could be improved in one’s daily work. The webinar aims to provide new ideas on what dialogue can contribute to the field of social inclusion and how it can be incorporated in the work with migrants and refugees in Europe. The speaker is Prof. Mohammed Abu-Nimer, a Senior Advisor to KAICIID and a professor at the School of International Service at the American University.
Inspiring civil society to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a key enabler for the social inclusion of refugees and migrants in Europe, 2 April 2019
This webinar includes two speakers: Violeta Marković, a Country Manager of the international civil society organization Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Belgrade, Serbia, and Carl Dahlbäck, Priest of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Sweden and Vicar Nacka Parish/ELCS of the Stockholm Diocese in Sweden. The Webinar aims to present experiences of two Network for Dialogue members and their organizations working on grassroots initiatives and to show how they use interreligious and intercultural dialogue working with refugees and migrants in Serbia and Sweden.