(s)
A full calendar is awaiting everybody that will come to Marrakech for the migration week(s) starting on December 1 and ending December 11. I have compiled an updated list of the major invents which you can find below. Besides the participation of the “usual suspects”, for this year I expect a much higher public/media interest than during previous gatherings such as the GFMD. This is in large parts due to the right-wing disinformation campaign against the Global Compact spreading across Europe in particular. While the motivation might be dubious, the increased attention could nonetheless provide stakeholders with the opportunity to reach a larger audience for their causes and advocacy…
Here is the latest schedule:
(if you have further information or know of additional events, please let me know and will update this post accordingly…)
Updates so far:
Added Conference “Euro-African Crossroad of Migration and Development”, 8-9 December
1 – 2 December International Conference of Migrant’s in Morocco
No information available yet, I will update once I know more
4 – 6 December GFMD Civil Society Days
Theme: “Goals, Compacts, Action: Human mobility that works for migrants and societies”
Location: Palm Plaza Hotel, Marrakesh
It took some time for the exact dates to materialize, but as it turns out, the Civil Society Days in Morocco follow last year’s model, i.e. they are overlapping with the government meeting . In Berlin in 2017, this was due to scheduling conflicts (start of Ramadan…9, but the GFMD seems to now have embraced this approach. There is one benefit to it: Civil Society Representatives are now allowed to attend the second and final day of the government consultations – a more inclusive format that would have been out of the question even a few years ago.
You can find the latest program at the link below and this is also the source of the flowchart which sums up the schedule nicely:
http://www.madenetwork.org/civil-society-days-2018-gfmd-2018
5 – 7 December GFMD Government Days
Theme: “Honouring International Commitments to Unlock the Potential of All Migrants for Development”
Location: Palmeraie Palace, Marrakesh
In light of the recent Anti-Global compact rhetoric from populist governments (who had previously supported the final draft of the document…) , “Honouring International Commitments” is a very fitting theme for the government meeting indeed.
You can find the concept note and program here:
http://gfmd.org/eleventh-gfmd-summit-meeting-registration-landing
6 – 8 December Churches Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM) Ninth International Consultation
Theme: Towards an Infrastructure of Welcome and Solidarity
Location: Kairos Palestine International Conference
The Churches Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM) has become an established parallel – and sometimes counter-event to the GFMD gatherings, as well as a process for networking and strategizing in its own right. December 6 will offer the option to participate in an exposure trip, and will be followed by two days of Group Caucuses, Consultations and Workshops.
You can find more information here:
http://www.karibu.no/event/churches-witnessing-with-migrants-cwwm-9th-consultation-morocco/
If you want to know more about this event, I recently published an article on its agenda:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14747731.2018.1472860
To my current knowledge, no IAMR will take place in Marrakesh – an IMA event just took place during the WSFM in Mexico City…
8 December The 5th Mayoral Forum on Human Mobility, Migration and Development
Theme: “City Leadership in Implementing the UN Global Compacts”
http://www.migration4development.org/en/events/global-mayoral-forum
Location: Hotel Pullman Marrakech Palmeraie Resort & Spa
This year’s mayoral meeting will focus on three policy themes: addressing special needs and reducing vulnerabilities; providing access to basic services; and empowering migrants, refugees and societies to realize full inclusion and social cohesion, including through employment and skills mobility.
The event is invitation only, but I will attend and report for this blog; I also plan to publish a background interview in the coming days, so stay tuned!
See also here:
http://www.migration4development.org/en/events/global-mayoral-forum
7/8-9 December People’s Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (PGA)
Theme: “Equality of Rights for Everyone, Everywhere”
Location: COS ONE, Marrakech
The “classic” GFMD parallel process. It will actually start already on 7 December, see here for more information:
http://peoplesglobalaction.org/program/
Registration seems to be closed now… – beforehand, you were able to register here:
http://peoplesglobalaction.org/2018/10/register-pga-2018/
I plan to publish a background interview in the coming days, so stay tuned!
8-9 December: 10th Diaspora Development Dialogue (DD10)
Theme: “The role of the African diaspora as a catalyst for sustainable development”
Location: Be Live Collection Marrakech
This one is organized by the Africa-Europe Diaspora Development Platform (ADEPT), in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ),Moroccan GFMD co-chair and other stakeholders.
Find more information here:
Be Live Collection Marrakech
8 -9 December Migration Youth Forum
Theme: “Road to Marrakech”
Location: tbc
Not fair! 😊 “The only requirement for participants is to be under 30 years old, and to have interest in migration, international affairs, and youth engagement.” Well, I fulfill all criteria except the first one…
In any case, this is a promising process for which registration is already closed: The Youth Forum (YF) is organised by the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY). This Forum is aimed at guiding youth engagement in the International Conference on Migration (ICM), in particular regarding the implementation, follow-up and review of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM).
For more information see here:
8-9 December Conference “Euro-African Crossroad of Migration and Development”
Location: Dar Saida Marrakech
The Heinrich-Böll Stiftung Afrique du Nord Rabat has informed me, that they areholding this promising Conference. They want to take the “migration week” as “an opportunity to create an inclusive space for exchange and reflexion on Euro-African migration and development policies. In doing so we aim to engage decision-makers, civil society actors and experts in a constructive discussion on forward-looking concepts for cooperation taking into consideration all perspectives, those of countries of origin, those of host countries, and of course those of the migrants themselves. “
The full program will be announced next week on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2130169237246727/
8-9 December Side events of the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Compact for Migration
Themes: Various – from “mainstreaming the health of migrants” to “Innovative Solutions to Enhancing Pathways for Regular Migration”
Location: Palmeraie Golf Palace
In case the events listed above are not enough for you and you plan to do even more forum shopping and conference hopping: Voila! There is an enormous list at last count 64…) of side events to bridge the gap between the GFMD and the global compact Conference.
You can find the latest list here:
http://www.un.org/en/conf/migration/side-events.shtml
10 -11 December Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)
Location: The Intergovernmental Conference will be held in a newly constructed site in Bab Ighli, Marrakech
The big event that needs no further introduction. See here for the most recent updates:
The GFMD, Migration, Development and Human Rights 
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