TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Communities of practice – “old” and “new” members of society in integration process

7 June 2019

Hotel Dubrovnik, ADRESS: Gajeva 1

Zagreb, Croatia

We are pleased to announce transnational conference “Communities of practice – “old” and “new” members of society in integration process” that will take place in Zagreb, Croatia on 7 June 2019.

The aim of the conference is to promote and facilitate dialogue, exchange of experience, mutual learning and joint action through communities of practice, on local, regional and EU level, to support integration of refugees and migrants in our societies and communities. In WELCOMM we understand integration as two-way process of constant dialogue and creating solutions to make our life together enjoyable, easy and enriched. This is a process that requires active and joint participation of both “new” and “old” members of our communities.

This conference will provide opportunity and platform to discuss and share about our past and current integrations practices, what have we tried so far that works, what are our best hopes for the future and what can we do right now to achieve what we hope for.

Conference will explore how refugees’ and migrants’ own initiatives, collectives and organizations contribute to integration practices in Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. It will combine panel discussions with group work to create platform for meeting, dialogue, sharing and learning.

This will also be an opportunity to introduce what we achieved so far in WELCOMM and to invite people to join in. We’ll continue what starts at the conference on our online Community of Practice, which aims to bring together individuals, organizations and institutions, professionals, activists, volunteers as well as refugees and migrants, in collaboration and learning.

Join the conference

Complete program of the conference

❖ 09:30 – 10:00 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

❖ 10:00 – 10:30 CONFERENCE OPENING

Press conference of Coordination for Integration Opening of the 6. Refugee Week
*speakers will be additionally announced

❖ 10:30 – 11:15 Contemporary context of EU integration practices
Moderator: Tea Vidović, Centre for Peace Studies (Croatia)

Panelists:

  • Dragana Knezić, Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma (Croatia)
  • Prince Wale Soniyiki, Africans Society in Croatia (Croatia)
  • Leila Salehiravesh, Südwind (Austria)
  • Magdalena Schrempf, NGO LungaerInnen für Menschenrechte (Austria)
  • Roberta Lo Bianco, CESIE (Italy)
  • Batch Mballow, president of a Gambian association (Italy)
  • Ognjen Radivojević, Slovene Philanthropy (Slovenia)

❖ 11:15 – 12:15 How did we get here? – Socio-historical background in which initiatives, collectives and communities of practice that discuss integration are established and developed

Moderator: Maddalena Avon, Centre for Peace Studies (Croatia)

Panelists:

  • Richard Braude, member of Porco ROSSO and activist (Italy)
  • Davor Konjkušić, member of Welcome! Initiative, activist, journalist (Croatia)
  • Jana Milovanović, Terra Vera (Slovenia)
  • Katharina Rußwurm, Caritas Bildungszentrum (Austria)
  • Shokat Ali Walizadeh, Neuer Start (Austria)

❖ 12:15 – 13:30 Community and practice in integration – what do we do and why we do it?

Moderator: Dragana Knezić, Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma (Croatia)

  • Ali Ahmad Safa, Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), Gender trainer (Austria)
  • Katharina Rußwurm, Inclusion at work, Caritas (Austria)
  • Achraf Halouani, member of ARTE MIGRANTE (Italy)
  • Adam Darawsha, Deputy Major on Culture (Italy)
  • Cyrille Cartier, Collective Women to Women (Croatia)
  • Franci Jazbec, Association Odnos (Slovenia)

❖ 13.30 – 14:30 LUNCH BREAK

❖ 14:30 – 16:00 Future of Communities of Practice – our best hopes?

Panel will be organized in working groups based on the main three areas of interest defined by members of communities of practice. Panel and working groups will be facilitated by the moderators.

❖ 16:00 – 16:30 Wrap up and closing of the conference

Moderator: Tea Vidović, Centre for Peace Studies (Croatia)

❖ 17:00 Public event on the streets of Zagreb – joint action/effort

*location will be additionally announced