IntegRAre! Colourful Life - Diverse Košice was the name of the public event organized by ETP Slovakia in cooperation with the Center of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of Science. It was held on January 23, 2019 in the popular cinema Úsmev in Košice.
During a nearly three-hour event, hundred people in audience were involved in the personal stories of representatives of minorities who live in Košice and who create the variety of Košice. The speakers were residents of Luník IX and people, who moved to Košice from all over the world. They reflected the topic of co-existence, mutual acceptance and acquaintance. Most Košice inhabitants are aware of the history of multicultural Košice, but many do not know that in the streets, trams or shops they meet those who fled their own countries as refugees or came to Košice because of interesting study opportunities. While being aware of the Roma ghetto in Luník IX, most people of Košice do not have an idea about the dreams and aspirations of the young people living in this segregated place.
Personal stories, the experience and opinions of four skilled Roma and four foreigners from Iran, Afghanistan and Ukraine introduced the lives of minorities in our town. They talked about whether Roma/foreigners have the equal opportunities as others. They shared the feelings of a person before he feels accepted. Each of the speakers feels part of Košice, considers it as their home and each one through his work tries to make Košice a pleasant place to live. Not only for him, but for everyone.
Individual presentations were followed by a discussion and the audience could ask questions. Many of them made room for reflection, other ones made everybody laugh. Very relaxed atmosphere complemented by Roma-Iranian music band Zoe and oriental cuisine helped bring together people from different worlds although living in one city.
Pictures, videos and short bio of speakers can be found on the facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/241138160114438
On Thursday, January 17th 2019, two meetings took place as a part of the INTEGRA project in the Academic Conference Centre in Prague. At first, the members of Stakeholder Integration Group (SIG) met for the third time within the project, in order to discuss recent project outputs – namely the City Integration Agenda (CIA) and the Integrated City Audit Report (CAP). They were introduced to the final policy recommendations presented in the Agenda, which should be implemented in the updated version of the existing Prague policy on integration of foreigners, and the examples of good integration policy and practice of the individual partner cities, summarized in the CAP. Finally, the SIG members were presented with the infographic posters created as a part of the project based on the city audit results. The posters will be used to raise awareness of a wide public regarding the presence and integration of foreigners in the city of Prague as a part of the 2019 INTEGRA campaign, which will be carried out by Integration Centre Prague throughout the whole year.
Stakeholder Consultation Meeting, which followed, focused on a detailed presentation of the planned INTEGRA campaign. It was attended by 21 people, including representatives of Prague Municipality, individual city districts, the NGO sector, migrant organizations/migrants and media. During a follow-up discussion which took place as a part of the meeting, the participants provided Integration Centre Prague with valuable critical feedback including many relevant ideas, incentives and tips, which will be taken into consideration when preparing and realising the campaign (and the corresponding creative tools. information materials and individual events). The participants were invited to actively participate in the campaign events/activities, asked to help with their promotion as well as with distribution of the infographic posters. The official presentation of the infographic posters at the meeting (preceded by their publication in an official press release) presented a symbolic launch of the whole campaign, which will focus on increasing public awareness about the topic of integration of TCN in Prague as well as on the topic of economic migration and the corresponding issues.
