Migration – Refugees and Labor

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On behalf of the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, IUC would like to promote and draw attention to the conference Migration – Refugees and Labor, created as a part of the EU-project My!Europe supported by the Europe for Citizen-program.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Migration

This will be a unique platform for a discussion of essential questions related to the varied matters of the migration situation as it is developing in Europe and especially Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania at the moment.

The ongoing process of labor migrants travelling from Eastern/Central European countries such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, has become a challenge in these sending countries in the perspective of social, economic as well as demographic development. As a result of the common European legislation of the free movement of labor, solutions have to be developed in cooperation, highlighting the main weaknesses and strengths of this (societal/European mechanism).

The unforeseen migration of refugees/asylum seeker across European borders has challenged the EU and its member states. The conference will address how and why the problem has reached the magnitude it has – in the Baltics and beyond.

Platform for Solutions

The crux of the conference will be to develop approaches to what could be done in order to accommodate both the challenges of labor migration and refugees in a national, regional and European context. Are there common European solutions and – if yes – what should they be.

We will, within a forum that encompasses both politicians, academia, NGO’s, students and interested citizenry in general, touch upon questions such as: How do people in the Baltic States perceive the present crises of both refugees and labor migration as well as themselves and the Baltic States as actors for solutions!

Program

Inspiring keynotes and interventions will introduce both themes on the first day, opening up for elaborative group discussions.

During the evening, the theme of migration will be presented and discussed through a public outreach event.

The second day will be devoted to a discussion of both themes within a common framework for future solutions adressing challenges shared within both themes.

See attached program as well.

For the My!Europe Declaration please follow the link:

http://myeurope.today/en/about-myeurope/new-blog/new-blog-post/

and follow at Facebook: MyEurope Baltics.

Practical Information

We will be looking forward to your reply not later than November 24^th and hopefully engagement and input on the conference. For participation at the conference, please write directly to dki@dki.lv.

Guests from Estonia and Lithuania will be offered bus transport to Riga as well as accommodation.

Best Regards,

Simon Drewsen Holmberg

Director at the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

sdh@dki.lv // +371 26 542 524[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

Draft Programme

[vc_column_text]

December 10^th

12.00-12.30 Voices from the real world:

A labor migrant and a refugee tell stories from their European experiences

Introductory Speakers

Representative from the Latvian Government

Representative from the EC/EP

Representative from the International Sonnenberg Association

Simon Drewsen Holmberg, Director of DCI in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

12.30-14.30

Voices from the real world:

Syrian Refugee

Module 1 EU and the Refugee Crises

Keynote: Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (tbc)

Urmas Paet, Member of The European Parliament

Interventions on the theme

Group-discussion: The redistribution of refugees within the EU. The social and economic challenges of integration.

Plenum discussion

14.30-15.00 COFFEE BREAK

15.00-17.00

Voices from the real world:

Baltic Labor migrant

Module 2 Labor Migration and the Baltic States

Keynote: Mihails Hazans, Professor, University of Latvia.

Interventions on the theme

Group-discussions: Social and economic advantages and disadvantages of labor migration. Remittances in a social and economic context. Circumstances concerning repatriation.

Plenum discussion

17.30-19.00 Dinner

19.30-22.00 Outreach-Event

December 11^th

9.30-11.30

Module 3 Discussion on Refugees and Labor Migration –

Within the European Framework of Today

Keynote: Andreas Kamm (req), Danish Refugee Council

Interventions on the theme

Group discussions on possible solutions/new initiatives

Plenum discussion

11.30-12.00 COFFEE BREAK