In large and cosmopolitan cities past migrations are usually the most visible. What memories of migration are used by various people, policymakers, scholars and organizations in these cities? How do past migrations impact the social, cultural and political conception of common belonging and the creation of a welcoming society? Do cities use these memories to participate in national debates on migration policies and identity?

In order to address these questions, the University of Amsterdam and the French Institute of International Relations in Paris organize a conference which brings together academics, representatives of local authorities and civil society organizations from 6 multicultural cities in Europe - Amsterdam, Athens, Birmingham, Budapest, Lisbon and Paris.

This conference is part of a series of meetings with representatives from these 6 cities as part of a project entitled “Memory and Migration”. The project aims to structure a debate about how Europeans can share a memory of their history of past migrations and to connect it with how they perceive various issues concerning the reception and integration of migrants today.

Agenda

2pm-2.30pm Registration

2.30pm-3.15pm Key Note speech

Jan Willem Duyvendak, Distinguished Research Professor in Sociology at the University of Amsterdam

3.15pm-5pm Dialogue with academics and experts from Athens, Birmingham, Budapest, Lisbon and Paris

Chair: Christophe Bertossi, Senior research fellow (PhD Habil.) and Director of the Centre for Migration and Citizenship

Perrine Dommange, Head of Equality, Integration and Inclusion, City of Paris

Barbara Forbes, Coordinator, City of Sanctuary, Birmingham

Aniko Bakonyi, Project Officer, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Budapest

Manuela Judice, Director of the Cabinet “Lisboa Encruzilhadas de Mundos”, Lisbon      

Georgios Kritikos, Associate Professor, University of Harokopion, Athens

Francesco Vacchiano, Senior Research Assistant, University of Lisbon

The “Memory and Migration” project is carried out by the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) in partnership with the University of Amsterdam, the University of Warwick, the French network of Institutes of Advanced Studies and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation with the support of the “Europe for Citizens” Programme of the European Union