Join us for the Webinar ‘How architecture and urban plans matter to immigrant and refugee integration’.

Date:

Wednesday June 30, 2021, 11:00-12:15 EDT (Ottawa, ONT)

This equals 08:00 EDT (Vancouver), 16:00 BST (London, UK), 17:00 CEST (Amsterdam), 18:00 TRT (Istanbul) or 23:00 SGT (Singapore).

Wondering how architecture and planning influence the settlement, integration, and well-being of immigrants and refugees? Join us for the upcoming webinar organized by Metropolis International.

Description

Among the aspects of newcomer settlement and integration that we usually emphasize such as

language, education, skills, discrimination, respect for rights, we rarely include architecture

and urban planning. And yet, if we think about what makes immigrants, refugees, and asylum

seekers feel comfortable in a new society, allows them to feel that they belong there, the built

environment is significant. Whether the homes they live in, the shops they visit, the places of

worship in which they gather, the schools they and their children attend, the spaces in which

they can socialize, the design of the buildings and their location relative to one another, all of

these affect the quality of their lives. Informal neighbourhoods in developing countries often

arise without the hand of professional architects or planners, yet bear identifiable cultural

hallmarks. Urban plans of cities in the West tend to ignore the cultural differences among

their residents, and architectural designs, whether mandated by regulations or not, tend to

reflect the mainstream populations’ preferences. But when newcomer neighbourhoods

become larger and more highly concentrated as in modern middle class suburban ethnic

enclaves or in arrival spaces for large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers, the effects of

architecture and urban plans can become acute.

This Metropolis webinar will explore the effects of architecture and planning on the

settlement, integration, and well-being of immigrants and refugees and offer a corrective to

the general neglect of these effects in our discussions of how best to manage the arrival of

newcomers in our societies. Our speakers will offer a rare combination of expertise on both

migration and architecture/urban planning.

Speakers

• Dr. Faten Kikano, former architect, Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté – CÉRSÉ, Montreal, Canada
• Martina Bovo, Architect and PhD student at the Politecnico di Milano, Milan
• Dr. Zhixi Zhuang, Urban Planner and Professor, Ryerson University, Toronto

Convenors

• Howard Duncan, ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University & Metropolis International
• Jan Rath, University of Amsterdam & Metropolis International

Hosted by

Metropolis International, established in 1996, is the largest cross-sectoral international

network of professionals in the field of migration, integration/inclusion, and diversity. It

provides an international platform for constructive dialogue and effective production &

dissemination of policy-relevant, socially-meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge across

the policy, research, civil society, and private sectors. /metropolis/

Registration

Only registered persons can be allowed to the webinar. For those who have not yet registered,

.

Time & date

The webinar took place on Wednesday May 26, 2021, 16:30-18:00 EEST (Beirut, UTC+3).

Description

It was ten years ago thatÌýSyriansÌýfleeing the civil war in their country began seeking refuge in Lebanon as well as Turkey, Jordan, and elsewhere. Now with roughly 1.5 millionÌýSyrianÌýrefugees, Lebanon is host to the highest per capita population of refugees in the world at 20%. This is an astonishing figure for any country, but especially for a country as otherwise troubled as Lebanon. Many of thoseÌýSyriansÌýwho fled the dangers of civil war have encountered in Lebanon poverty, food insecurity, discrimination, violence, and clear efforts to have them return to an as yet unsafe homeland. These conditions were exacerbated by the Beirut explosion and more recently by the Covid pandemic. Life for theÌýSyrianÌýrefugees has been difficult, but their presence in an already fragile country has made things yet more difficult for the Lebanese nationals.

°Õ³ó¾±²õÌýwebinarÌýwill look at the living conditions ofÌýSyrianÌýrefugees in informal settlements and in Lebanon’s towns and cities. The three speakers will offer the results of their in-depth research into how the Lebanese government, humanitarian organizations, and the international community have handled the crisis so far while offering prospects for effective policies beneficial to the situation of refugees and that of the vulnerable communities hosting them. The focus of theÌýwebinarÌýwill be on future approaches that would improve refugees’ living conditions accompanied by a retrospective on what has been done so far in dealing with their situation.

ÌýConvenors

• Howard Duncan, ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University & Metropolis International
• JanÌýRath, University of Amsterdam & Metropolis International

ÌýSpeakers

• Dr. Faten Kikano, Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté – CÉRSÉ, Montreal, Canada
• Dr. Jeff Crisp, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford
• Dr. Carmen Geha, Political Studies and Public Administration, American University of Beirut

Hosted by

Metropolis International, established in 1996, is the largest cross-sectoral international network of professionals in the field of migration, integration/inclusion, and diversity. It provides an international platform for constructive dialogue and effective production & dissemination of policy-relevant, socially-meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge across the policy, research, civil society, and private sectors.

Webinar 1 — African Migration: dreams and trajectories

Date: Wednesday April 28, 2021, 15:00-16:15 WET (UTC+0)

Description

The African continent has always been a site of population mobility, due to a host of structural determinants varying from economic inequality, environmental risks, social and political conflicts, education, adventure and so forth. In some ways, the root causes of migration in Africa are exactly the same as everywhere else.Ìý

The second webinar revolves around European and African attempts to regulate these processes. The European Union (EU) and its members states have been uneasy with African migration to the North and aims to intervene in a variety of ways, with unprecedented force, and to a certain extent in collaboration with African partners so as to contain African mobility. How do these efforts, that some see as paternalistic and exclusionist, intervene in the journeys that many Africans are undertaking?

Convenors

• Loren Landau, Witts University & University of Oxford
• Jan Rath, University of Amsterdam & Metropolis InternationalÌý
• Abdellatif Bouazza, director of IMEAÌý

Speakers

Webinar 2 —ÌýAfricanÌýMigration: the making of the ‘responsible migrant’

• Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Division labor employment and migration, Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission
• Jean-Louis de Brouwer, director of European Affairs in the Egmont Institute and former Director on Migration in the Commission
• Lindo Oucho, African Migration and Development Policy Centre (AMADPOC), Nairobi

Cohosted by

The Moroccan Institute of Advanced Studies (IMEA), recently established by the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco has the mission to promote high-level research in the humanities and social sciences and to promote dialogue and interactions with other scientific fields. Ìý

Metropolis International, established in 1996, is the largest cross-sectoral international network of professionals in the field of migration, integration/inclusion, and diversity. It provides an international platform for constructive dialogue and effective production & dissemination of policy-relevant, socially-meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge across the policy, research, civil society, and private sectors. /metropolis/Ìý

25^thÌýInternational Metropolis Conference, Berlin, 4-9 September, 2022

Berlin becomes the centre of international exchange on migration, integration and diversity!

Under the titleÌýChanging Migration, Migration in Change,ÌýtheÌýInternational Metropolis ConferenceÌýin Berlin in 2022 offers a cross-sectoral platform for experts from around the world to discuss the latest in migration, integration and diversity. Join researchers, policymakers, practitioners, business leaders, and civil society and international organizations representatives for a week of analysis, policy insights, and practice exchange. Key themes include:

TheÌýÌýin Germany andÌýMetropolis InternationalÌýare planning this conference as an on-site event (with some limited virtual participation) at the bcc Berlin Congress Center,Ìý4-9 September, 2022.

Save the date,Ìýwe are looking forward to welcoming you in Berlin!

More details about the conference will be posted on the conference website @Ìý, startingÌý1ÌýJuly, 2021.

For inquiries about the conference and to sign up for updates, please emailÌýimcb22@bmas.bund.de

Webinar 1 — African Migration: dreams and trajectories

Date: Wednesday April 28, 2021, 15:00-16:15 WET (UTC+0)

Description

The African continent has always been a site of population mobility, due to a host of structural determinants varying from economic inequality, environmental risks, social and political conflicts, education, adventure and so forth. In some ways, the root causes of migration in Africa are exactly the same as everywhere else.Ìý

Taking these well-known structural causes as a starting point, the first webinar aims to explore what individuals and families do with it. Key words then are hope and aspiration, motivations, dreams. Those who decide to move to greener pastures embark on an unknown journey into an ever changing environment full of uncertainties, risks and new opportunities. How are they able to maneuver through life and across space by circumventing social, cultural and political hurdles, and by finding the narrow path from one small opportunity to the other?

Convenors

• Loren Landau, Witts University & University of Oxford
• Jan Rath, University of Amsterdam & Metropolis InternationalÌý
• Abdellatif Bouazza, director of IMEAÌý

Speakers

Webinar 1 — African Migration: dreams and trajectories

• Nauja Kleist, Danish Institute for International Studies
• Abdoulaye Kane, University of Florida
• Lionel Nzamba, Direction des Opérations chez CGLU Afrique

Cohosted by

The Moroccan Institute of Advanced Studies (IMEA), recently established by the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco has the mission to promote high-level research in the humanities and social sciences and to promote dialogue and interactions with other scientific fields. Ìý

Metropolis International, established in 1996, is the largest cross-sectoral international network of professionals in the field of migration, integration/inclusion, and diversity. It provides an international platform for constructive dialogue and effective production & dissemination of policy-relevant, socially-meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge across the policy, research, civil society, and private sectors. /metropolis/Ìý

Webinar 1 — African Migration: dreams and trajectories

Date: Wednesday April 28, 2021, 15:00-16:15 WET (UTC+0)

Webinar 2 — African Migration: the making of the ‘responsible migrant’Ìý

Date: Wednesday May 12 2021, 15:00-16:15 WET (UTC+0)

Wondering how people from Africa are motivated to move and to creatively pursue their hopes and aspirations, even when faced with enormous hurdles? Join us for the upcoming webinars organized by the Moroccan Institute of Advanced Studies (IMEA) in collaboration with Metropolis International.

RegistrationÌý

.

Description

The African continent has always been a site of population mobility, due to a host of structural determinants varying from economic inequality, environmental risks, social and political conflicts, education, adventure and so forth. In some ways, the root causes of migration in Africa are exactly the same as everywhere else.Ìý

Taking these well-known structural causes as a starting point, the first webinar aims to explore what individuals and families do with it. Key words then are hope and aspiration, motivations, dreams. Those who decide to move to greener pastures embark on an unknown journey into an ever changing environment full of uncertainties, risks and new opportunities. How are they able to maneuver through life and across space by circumventing social, cultural and political hurdles, and by finding the narrow path from one small opportunity to the other?

The second webinar revolves around European and African attempts to regulate these processes. The European Union (EU) and its members states have been uneasy with African migration to the North and aims to intervene in a variety of ways, with unprecedented force, and to a certain extent in collaboration with African partners so as to contain African mobility. How do these efforts, that some see as paternalistic and exclusionist, intervene in the journeys that many Africans are undertaking?

Convenors

• Loren Landau, Witts University & University of Oxford
• Jan Rath, University of Amsterdam & Metropolis InternationalÌý
• Abdellatif Bouazza, director of IMEAÌý

Speakers

Webinar 1 — African Migration: dreams and trajectories

• Nauja Kleist, Danish Institute for International Studies
• Abdoulaye Kane, University of Florida
• Lionel Nzamba, Direction des Opérations chez CGLU Afrique

Webinar 2 — African Migration: the making of the ‘responsible migrant’Ìý

• Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Division labor employment and migration, Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission
• Jean-Louis de Brouwer, director of European Affairs in the Egmont Institute and former Director on Migration in the Commission
• Lindo Oucho, African Migration and Development Policy Centre (AMADPOC), Nairobi

Cohosted by

The Moroccan Institute of Advanced Studies (IMEA), recently established by the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco has the mission to promote high-level research in the humanities and social sciences and to promote dialogue and interactions with other scientific fields. Ìý

Metropolis International, established in 1996, is the largest cross-sectoral international network of professionals in the field of migration, integration/inclusion, and diversity. It provides an international platform for constructive dialogue and effective production & dissemination of policy-relevant, socially-meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge across the policy, research, civil society, and private sectors. /metropolis/Ìý

25th International Metropolis Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022

The 25th International Metropolis Conference will be hosted by the German , at the bcc Berlin Congress Center, from September 5 to September 9. It will feature the comprehensive cross-sectoral program of keynotes, plenary sessions, workshops, PhD day, special symposia, and cultural activities that International Metropolis Conference participants have come to expect.

Save the date and stay tuned for upcoming details!