Bridging the „micro“ and the „macro”: The Mayoral Forum on #Migration and #Development An interview with Colleen Thouez (UNITAR)

“How can we connect the global debates with the policies on the ground?” was one of the main questions that kept coming up during the recent cluster of events in Berlin on global migration governance, development and the global compact on safe, orderly and regular migration. One process tackled precisely this question: The 4^th Global Mayoral Forum on Human Mobility, Migration and Development (“Mayoral Forum”). The theme of the forum was “Mayors as Humanitarian and Development Actors – Preparing, Welcoming, and Integrating”. I was able to participate as an observer and talk to the co-founder of the Forum, Dr. Colleen Thouez:

PGA opening in Berlin: A time to be excited or cautious? #MigrantRightsBerlin

The 2017 Peoples’ Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (PGA) has started today in Berlin. More than 130 migrants grassroots and civil society representatives have gathered at the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES) in order to discuss strategies and advocacy with particular focus on the negotiations of the “Global Compact on safe, orderly and regular migration”. Why another meeting after a packed week of deliberations in Berlin taking place within and around the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)? The answer is clear:

Impressions of #GFMD_CSD Day 1: Global Compact? You know nothing, Jon Snow!

I will post brief first impressions after each GFMD Civil Society day – here comes Day 1: After a very fitting opening at the Brandenburg Gate on the evening before (Day 0, so to speak, see picture), the GFMD Civil Society Days went to work quickly on Thursday. Some disappointment was voiced over the opening ceremony speeches; without being unfair to the German representatives, but do we really need to be told again how many migrants are there worldwide and how high the amount of remittances is in relation to development aid? The Davos style panel debates that followed provided

#GFMD10 Civil Society Day opening – livestream online now / GFMD app #GFMD_CSD

The GFMD 2017 Civil Society Days have just been opened in Berlin by the Chair Wies Maas (pictured) and Co-Chair Berenice Valdez Rivera. As in previous years, some of the sessions will be streamed live, you can find the video here: http://www.madenetwork.org/gfmd There is also an app for that – well almost, since the GFMD app I downloaded from the Apple store seems to focus mostly on the government days, at least I could find no link to the civil society stream. Still a promising idea and you get reminders when and where the next government dinner will take place 😉.

As in previous years I will try to cover the upcoming events here, but for immediate feedback please also check my Twitter account @srother.

 

#GFMD10 in Berlin has started – Deutsche Reports und Ressourcen

Aus Anlass des heute in Berlin begonnenen zehnten Global Forums on Migration and Development, hier die Links zu einigen deutschen Hintergrundpapieren, Interviews und Themenportalen:

From Dawn Till Dusk: Two migrant civil society events at the Brandenburg Gate #GFMD

While the GFMD government meeting will start tomorrow, migrant organisations will gather for two events at the Brandenburg gate – one of them taking place in the morning of Wednesday 28 June, a second one in the evening. The first one is organized by the International Migrants’ Alliance (IMA) and Migrante Europe, the second one a “Prelude” to the GFMD Civil Society Days. This is the planned program:

Registration for Peoples’ Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights #PGA ends today

Things have changed… Not only will the Peoples’ Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (PGA) for the first time take place after the GFMD – unlike previous meetings, there will also be no (guaranteed) opportunity for on-site registration. Today thus marks the final deadline for online registration for the event that will be held under the theme of “Power, People, Community: Building A Migrants Rights Movement” from 3-4 July at the conference facilities of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Berlin. You can register here: