With growing recognition that migration can, under the right
circumstances, further development and contribute significantly to
social change, IOM and the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAoC) are
co-sponsoring a special event on this timely and significant issue.

A panel discussion "Migrants as Agents for Change and
Development" is being held as part of the UNAoC’s 3rd Forum
on 29 May in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. 

Organized in cooperation with the Government of Brazil and
moderated by IOM Director General William Lacy Swing, the panel
discussion brings together Luiz Paulo Barreto, Minister of Justice
of Brazil; Enrique V. Iglesias, Secretary General of the
Ibero-American General Secretariat; Domingos Simões Pereira,
Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese Language
Countries Portuguesa; Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, commentator for the
Independent; and Dr. Teofilo Altamirano, of the Pontificia
Universidad Catolica of Peru.

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Link alt="" border="0" height="12" hspace="0" src=
"/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> "http://www.unaoc.org/communities/migrationintegration/" target=
"_blank" title="">Migration Integration Online Community

The discussion will feature ways in which migration and migrants
can positively affect social change and development and identify
ways in which a wide range of partners can promote change through
migration. The panellists will also discuss how integration
policies can further the contributions of migrants to
development.  

The panel is part of the UNAoC initiative, which seeks to
examine how policies and specific efforts can promote social
cohesion, innovation and facilitate constructive intercultural
relations.

The event dovetails with the launch of the joint IOM-UNAoC
Migration Integration Online Community, which aims to promote good
practices of integration.  This Online Community will promote
the sharing of knowledge and experiences on practical efforts to
harmonize the coexistence between newcomers and host communities,
improving social cohesion and intercultural relations.

For the Migration Integration Online Community, please go
to:

"http://www.unaoc.org/communities/migrationintegration/" target=
"_blank" title=
"">http://www.unaoc.org/communities/migrationintegration/.

For more information, please contact:

Amy Muedin

IOM New York

Tel: +1-212-681-7000 ext. 212

E-mail: "mailto:amuedin@iom.int">amuedin@iom.int