What is Migrant Cities?

Migrant Cities is a multilateral project developed under Living Together, which aims to promote intercultural understanding in (and within) South East Europe and the UK, by exploring issues associated with migration and demographic change and its impact on society, at both the sending and the receiving end.

This is a regional project par excellence, as every city within our region and the UK is experiencing the cultural and social impact of migration in an interlinked pattern.

What’s going to happen in the project?

We work in nine cities from both South East Europe and the UK to stimulate debate and explore cultural and social phenomena associated with European migration.

How will Migrant Cities work?

We were joined by a group of South East Europe researchers and experts in the field who are conducting a simultaneous research study on the social and cultural issues associated wıth migration in eight European cities.

			The factual evidence will be centred around human stories - a collection of personal insights from those affected by migration.
			Featured case studies will include the voices of the migrants themselves and the local community representatives, as well as those of relevant public bodies.

The report will be looking at questions like:

			What are the main migration patterns in your city?
			What are migrants’ expectations, experiences, and aspirations of life in the city?
			How do migrants engage in intercultural dialogue?
			Are there any good examples of intercultural dialogue in the city?
			How can intercultural dialogue in the city be promoted?

The findings will feed into policy debates at the level of local authorities, opinion formers and relevant civic organisations.
The debates will accompany the launch of the research report and will be organised in all the participating cities between September-November 2008.

In the policy influencing stage, the aggregated report will be launched at a major MyGrant Cities international conference in February 2009.

Who will we be working with?

We’re going to work with local authorities, politicians (mayors, MPs, MEPs), opinion formers, researchers and academics on migration issues, NGOs dealing with migration and social inclusion issues and international organisations such as IOM, UNHCR, ICMC, ILO, and leaders from migrant (affected) communities, media.

Participating cities

Athens, Belfast, Bucharest, Cardiff, Glasgow, Istanbul, Nicosia, Nottingham, Tirana