Your Excellency, President Sampaio,
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Once again, it is an honor for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to participate in this Group of Friends Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAoC). IOM has taken part in all UNAoC Forums whether in Istanbul, Rio, and Doha, a workshop in Paris and around these annual meetings at the UNGA. We also really look forward to doing so in Vienna next year.  IOM is in discussions with the UNAoC Secretariat and the Government of Austria to offer our support to the Vienna UNAoC Forum, as we have for all previous past UNAoC Fora. If anyone ever had doubts about the worlds need for an AOC, events of recent will have clarified these doubts. 

Since the UNAoC’s creation, IOM has committed to be the Alliance’s principal partner on the migration pillar of its work. As the leading global intergovernmental agency for migration, IOM shares UNAoC’s commitment to promoting the mobility and integration of migrants -- with a view to establish a firm link between migration and development and fostering socially cohesive and participatory societies while averting marginalization and exclusion of vulnerable groups. 

IOM recognizes and supports the convening power and key role of the UNAoC in its promotion of tolerance and respect, and a culture of peace and dialogue among all civilizations.  The UNAoC has gathered partners from governments, intergovernmental organizations like my own, as well as businesses, foundations, civil society and other stakeholders who have all committed themselves to embrace and promote cultural diversity. I would like to make two points on the role of migrants and migration.

Migration as a key global issue

We live in an era of sustained by economic, social and cultural inter-dependencies. At the heart of all of them are various processes of communication and exchange and human mobility. There are more people on the move than ever before.

Looking at migration from this angle has the advantage of reminding us that we have probably reached the point where it is no longer reasonable or useful to look at migration simply as a product of the interplay between push and pull factors.

We must fully come to terms with the reality that migration is an integral part of the inter-connected globalised world we have created. Migration now has a life of its own. Migration is inevitable, necessary and, if managed humanely, is highly desirable. We cannot afford to lose sight of this reality especially in times of economic uncertainty.

It's no wonder that migration has emerged as a key global issue – no longer the sole concern of a limited number of countries, as it was claimed, rightly or wrongly, for most of the previous century. Migration is at the heart of government policy these days.

And yet, even while human mobility is acknowledged as one of the defining features of our century, it remains one of the most misunderstood. Migration missed the boat in 2000 when the MDGs were promulgated. It was only in 2010 that UN climate change documents first mentioned forced migration and population movement as consequences if climate change.

Our gathering occurs at a time of growing anxiety over the changing composition of the nation state; at a time when countries face the challenge of managing social diversity within their borders – and at a time when xenophobia and hate crimes can rear their ugly heads in even the most traditionally tolerant of countries. People are driven by fears that migration threatens personal identity or even national identity.

Historically, migration has been overwhelmingly positive on societies and economies have been excluded by the overwhelming majority of migrants.  These contributions unfortunately, are often overshadowed, and risk being forgotten altogether.

Migrants embody the essence of multiculturalism

With an aging north and a youthful support, the very nature of the traditional nation state is evolving. As more people migrate, more cultures intertwine, and more societies become diverse. In the future, multicultural societies are likely to become the norm rather than the exception. With that comes constant large-scale migration represents a threat to personal identity and even national identity.

Migrants embody the essence of multiculturalism often simultaneously inhibiting in their hearts and minds two or more places. Migrants serve as bridges between their countries of origin and their countries of destination.

Migrants have much to gain from their new societies, as do the new societies from migrants.

Migrants send remittances to their countries of origin, and they bring skills and innovation that enrich their host country’s—or in the case of permanent migration new country’s— economies.

But when people move, they carry not only their skills; they also bring with them their traditions and their heritage. These new cultural mores change the composition of nation states, expanding upon existing traditions and identities.

As people move, they seek to improve their lives. They look for new jobs, a better education, a safer place to live—new opportunities that can improve not only their own lives, but the lives of their families and their communities. As such, migrants possess important roles and skills in local communities and should be considered important contributing members of society.

In conclusion, I would like to express again our continued commitment to the UNAoC and to its work with governments, communities, civil society, and migrants alike to promote intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation. IOM pledges its continued support for “Integration: Building Inclusive Societies – IBIS”—an interactive online community on migration and integration, as well as PLURAL+—a joint initiative between UNAoC and IOM that involves youth in addressing inclusiveness and social cohesion of their communities. 2012 marks the fourth year of the joint IOM and UNAoC partnership in which we have received some 150 short films from in representing 54 countries. Over the years IOM has contributed its migration expertise, staff and operational resources to these joint initiatives. I am here to pledge our continued support to the UNAoC, and appeal to all of us to strengthen our partnership with the UNAoC. We need to work together to achieve our common objectives of promoting social cohesion and intercultural understanding—objectives which are rooted in our shared values of a world free from discrimination.