With successful migrant integration into host societies
increasingly important in the face of rising xenophobia around the
world, how best to improve cross-cultural relations and harmony
across the globe is an issue that IOM and the UN's Alliance of
Civilizations (AoC) will focus on at a special event next week.

A panel discussion – entitled "Integrating Migrants
– A Challenge for Inclusive Societies" – is being held
as part of the AoC's 2nd Forum on 6 April in the Turkish city of
Istanbul.

Organized in cooperation with United Cities and Local
Governments (ULCG) and moderated by IOM Director General William
Lacy Swing, the panel discussion brings together the former Prime
Minister of Senegal, Moustapha Niasse; the former Permanent
Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, Mehmet Umit Pamir;
the President of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Manuel
Chaves; the Mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbas; the Mayor of Lisbon,
Antonio Costa; the President of the German Association for East
European Studies, Dr. Rita Süssmuth; the Director of the
Shanghai Centre for International Studies, Pan Guange, and Father
Mario Santillo, Director General of the Centro de Estudios
Migratorios Latinoamericas. 

The discussion will feature local perspectives and good
practices on addressing the challenges of integration, diversity
management and social inclusion as it is perhaps at the local level
that migrant integration issues are most pressing and most likely
to be resolved in innovative yet pragmatic ways.  The Forum
will also provide the opportunity for IOM and the AoC to sign an
agreement which will focus on areas of collaboration and
cooperation on migrant integration and diversity management
issues.

The event dovetails with the launch of a youth video competition
at the AoC Forum organized by AoC and IOM encouraging youth to
share their thoughts, experiences and ideas on addressing on
migration, integration and diversity issues.  

For more information on the panel discussion, please
contact:

Maurizio Busatti

IOM Turkey

Tel: +90 312.454 11 46

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

or

Amy Muedin

IOM New York

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

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