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EUROCITIES Fifth Integrating Cities conference 08/03/2012 – 09/03/2012 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Summary

Migration Policy Group is providing expertise at the conference organised by EUROCITIES with the aim of fostering dialogue on migrant integration in Europe’s cities

Description

MPG’s Associate Manager for Supplier Diversity Europe, Beth Ginsburg, will be sharing expertise on supplier diversity in Europe at the event.

About the event

EuroCitiesAlso speaking at the conference will be Andrée van Es, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam, Ricard Zapata-Barrero, Professor of Political Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona) and Stefano Manservisi, Director General for Home Affairs, European Commission.

The conference will feature site visits and workshops so that the 300 delegates can see and learn how European cities help migrants integrate into their new home society. There will also be a high level panel debate with mayors from some of Europe’s biggest cities.

Two cities, Rennes and Riga, will add their names to the list of signatories of the Integrating Cities Charter, launched at the last conference in London (2010). Over 25 cities have signed this charter, expressing their duty and responsibility in their roles as policy-makers, service providers, employers and buyers of goods and services to provide equal opportunities for all residents, to integrate migrants, and to embrace the diversity of their populations that is a reality in cities across Europe.

On Thursday, the Amsterdam Statement will be launched. This states that integration policies should be developed ‘bottom-up’ together with cities and based on their experiences, and that cities need to be resourced properly to implement these policies. It makes particular reference to some relevant discussions such as the future EU funding programme on migration and asylum, and the strategic partnership the European Commission wants to develop with big city networks and the Committee of the Regions.

The aim of the conference series is to promote cooperation between the European, national and local level on the implementation of the Common Basic Principles underpinning the European Framework for Integration.

For more information, please click here.