European Cities on the Front Line

Watch the webinar

Migration has dominated national and EU-level debates in recent years. But it is at the local level that migration challenges come to the fore. Municipalities across Europe are faced with increasing diversity and urged to find prompt ways to address always new integration needs, often with limited resources and a hostile public sentiment towards migrants. With cities in the EU and beyond now dealing with the impact of COVID-19, ensuring migrant inclusion becomes more challenging, as vulnerabilities intensify, and key services come to a near-halt. Yet, it is also more crucial than ever, as community cohesion and solidarity will be key factors in promoting post-crisis recovery.

In the webinar, panellists will present a study on European Cities on the Front Line – New and emerging governance models for migrant inclusion, analyzing the main challenges faced by local administrators in granting migrants access to public services, and sharing recommendations on how to make the most of local governance levers to optimize integration outcomes in the face of various constraints. The municipalities of Thessaloniki, Gdansk and Milan will participate in the discussion to share their experience and illustrate how they are coping in times of COVID-19. The event will be opened by Laurence Hart, Director of the Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, Chief of Mission for Italy and Malta and Representative to the Holy See.

The study was conducted by the Migration Policy Institute Europe in cooperation with IOM, as part of the ADMin4ALL project, implemented by IOM and funded by the European Union. The project aims to enhance the capacity of local governments to develop sustainable strategies and inclusive services for the successful social and economic integration of migrants.

We look forward to you participating in the discussion.