Dear friends of My Country Talks,

Hello and welcome to the September edition of our monthly MCT updates. Summer has almost come to an end and I’m sure many of us can already feel the autumn breeze coming in.  

Lately in Europe, migration has (again!) become one of the most divisive topics of debate. Sadly, most of the media coverage alongside the current EU asylum reform reinforces this sentiment and that is why we would like to make this newsletter a special edition on constructive stories about migration.  

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Giving migrants a voice 

Alongside the implementation of extremely restrictive asylum policies, it seems like the majority of European politicians are trying to hide migrants from public appearance, especially in light of intensified efforts to detain immigrants at European borders.  

That is why we think the story of Mohamed deserves special attention. Mohamed lives as a migrant in Amsterdam, having to deal with baffling amounts of bureaucracy every day. As many migrants in the European Union, he does not have the right to work. However, that does not prevent him from making the best of it all and fulfilling his dream of becoming a comedian. 

Click here to listen to Mohamed’s story on the podcast episode of The Europeans. 

Lampedusa: An island of solidarity

To many, Lampedusa has become the epitome of chaos, crisis, overload and increasing frustration, including resentment among the local population. But that is a very one-sided view. An article by the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung draws a different picture of the situation on the island. It argues that, despite all challenges, Lampedusa has also managed to remain a place of hope and solidarity where many, including Lampedusians, still try to make it the most bearable situation for all. 

Read the article here.  

It’s a humanitarian crisis, not an “invasion” 

In an opinion piece for the Guardian, Giusi Nicolini, mayor of Lampedusa from 2012 – 2017, also looks at the situation on Lampedusa. In her view, the situation on the island is dire because it is treated as a security issue instead of a humanitarian crisis. In her article, she writes: “What will become of the Mediterranean, of the suffering humanity that crosses this sea, and of my island, which for so long has shown courage and humanity? Lampedusa, a microcosm traversed by a thousand contradictions, has already changed, subjugated by fear and deception, despite the fact that tourism has grown alongside the boat arrivals.”  

Take a look at her critique on the current situation here.  

Stay tuned – what we are working on at the moment 

There will be a number of exciting projects coming up! After having closed a successful first round of The World Talks, we are now working on a documentary that will feature the experience of six protagonists from all over the world when meeting their conversation partner for the first time. 

At the beginning of next year, we will have our first national dialogue event in Poland. Together with the New Community Foundation, a local NGO in Poland, we want to bring at least 5000 people into political dialogue. As Poland is entering one of its most divisive election phase since 1989, we couldn’t be happier for the support from the Robert Bosch Stiftung to be able to execute the event. 

Similarly to the situation in Poland, the next European elections will be held in an environment of tense political debate, probably dominated by the discussions about migration and Russia. That is why from February onwards, we will bring together citizens from all over Europe into cross-border exchange in our 2024 edition of Europe Talks.