Good morning and welcome to the 34th AEMI conference.
Mr mayor, Dan Biancalala – in absence
Mrs President of CDMH – the Centre de Documentation sur les Migrations Humaines, Antoinette Reuter and the organizing committee.
On behalf of Association of European Migration Institutions, I would like to thank you for hosting the AEMIs annual meeting and conference here in Dudelange.
Thank you for making this conference happen and for welcoming all of us coming from across Europe to meet here.
Last but not least, welcome to members and participants.
In recent years, immigration has increased as a transnational phenomenon in Europe. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a total of nearly 87 million international migrants lived in Europe in 2020, an increase of nearly 16 percent since 2015. Some are born in Europe but live elsewhere in the region; others have arrived from countries outside of Europe. This reality presents us with new questions related to cultural and social hybridization.
When exploring these questions, we often focus on the important role labour plays in migratory patterns – and hence in the everyday lives and challenges of migrants.
Work is inherently linked to the physical movement of people, whether over long distances or even just to the next town or county, and therefore it is also one of the most significant prisms through which we can understand why migrations occur.
Last year, we followed this trace and gathered in Ljubljana to learn from the experiences of migrant workers across European and global borders. Focusing on the complex relationship between migration and work, we considered and discussed labour migration and mobility through the prism of historical developments, social and welfare-related perspectives, and gender roles.
However, in following the complex causes of labour migration, we sometimes overlook new and critical dimensions of migrants’ experiences and needs. One of them being the importance of sports, culture, and arts – and how these areas can serve as keys to integration, understanding, and community-building in our increasingly globalized societies.
When we think about migrant communities, we think about the individuals who have left their homes for a variety of reasons – be it war, love or family obligations, economic hardship, all in the pursuit of a better future.
Regardless of the reason, they face challenges that we should all be mindful of.
Among these challenges are adapting to a new culture while preserving connections to the homeland, building new social networks, and maintaining physical health as well as mental well-being. In this context, engaging in a social and active life outside of work has become one of the most important tools for inclusion and participation of migrants.
We witness this on a daily basis:
When we visit local associations or clubs founded in the 70s, which still, to this day, serve as social meeting places for individuals who came to Western Europe as guest workers more than 50 years ago.
When we gather in front of the TV to watch our favourite football team and realise how expats play a vital role in embracing representation and diversity.
When new generations of artists with multicultural backgrounds enter museums and other cultural institutions and challenge established norms and outdated views.
And when musical performances, theatrical plays, food tours, international movies, or popular literature transcend borders and bring humans together, because they touch upon universal themes and create connections based on intercultural dialogue.
Today, we have the opportunity to support inclusive communities through sports, culture, and arts. This requires collaboration and conscious efforts from all sectors of society – from policymakers and institutions to volunteers and citizens. By striving for this goal together, we foster understanding and respect, helping to break down barriers and prejudices on all levels of society.
For the next two days, we gather to discuss the many important perspectives on migration, which go beyond work. Through the various panels of the conference, we will explore how migration has long served as a conduit for the exchange and diffusion of sporting traditions, artistic expressions, and cultural identities across borders and continents.
Focusing on sports, culture and arts as powerful mediums through which migrants navigate and negotiate their identities, we will consider how the dynamic exchange between migration and what lies beyond work not only shapes the cultural landscapes of host nations, but also enriches the global fabric of human experiences.
We look forward to discussing your inspiring and innovative contributions as well as participating in interdisciplinary dialogues and knowledge sharing. As we are gathered here in Dudelange, let us remember, that sports, culture, and arts are not merely pastimes but essential components in building inclusive societies.
To the speakers: Thank you for your papers – please consider to hand them in for the AEMI journal/ website.
To the chairs : Thank you for accepting the task – please be strict and keep track of time. We have a tight schedule.
To all AEMI members, thank you for deciding to provide a few grants for young researchers that we can welcome today.
For the next days, we will share important insight, knowledge, experience and meet colleagues from all over Europe. I encourage all of you to spend coffee breaks with someone you didn’t know before.
Thank you and once again, welcome to the 34th AEMI conference here in these wonderful surroundings.
