18 March: Seminar “Refugee Diasporas as development actors.” Organized by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, the Danish Refugee Council and the MU Graduate School of Governance/UNU MERIT

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 18/03/14
9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Location
Maastricht University Brussels Campus

Categories


Refugee Diasporas as development actors 

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Maastricht University Graduate School of Governance/UNU MERIT

 Over the last few years a variety of actors ranging from researchers, to states, organisations and global processes such as the GFMD and the HLD have shown a growing interest in the role of diasporas and their impact in host and home communities. Issues such as remittances, knowledge and skills transfer, cultural creolisation, political participation and homeland politics have received a lot of attention. International and national governmental and non-governmental organisations have recognised this potential and have made funding available to diaspora organisations. There is however, a lack of understanding on the specific contributions of refugee diasporas to development in their countries of origin and the resulting impacts on their host country.

This seminar will bring together diaspora organisations, NGO partners and donors, and academics to discuss the involvement of diasporas in development cooperation. Some of the questions that will be asked are:

  • How are diaspora organisations involved in development in their countries of origin? What are the challenges that refugee organisations in particular face when it comes to supporting their country of origin?
  • How do NGOs, development agencies and refugee Diasporas work together and what challenges and prospects are there in such partnerships?
  • How does working for development in the home country impact integration in the host country?

You can register for the seminar through this link. An agenda will be available in the coming weeks

For more information please contact Aspasia Papadopoulou (apapadopoulou@ecre.org) or Elona Bokshi (ebokshi@ecre.org)

The domaid project (dialogue on migration and asylum in development) 2012-2014 is funded by the European Commission (EuropeAid) and aims to promote dialogue and advocacy between a platform of European NGOs involved in migration and asylum projects in third countries and the EU institutions. domaid is lead by ECRE and its partners are the Danish Refugee Council, and the Maastricht University Graduate School of Governance/UNU MERIT. The UNHCR is an associate partner.