Purpose: The House for Refugees (Maison des réfugié∙es) aims to promote the integration of newcomers to Paris, regardless of their status, with a particular focus on asylum seekers and refugees. This is achieved through a variety of integration activities including French language courses, employment assistance, and cultural and sports events. The centre aims to be a welcoming and inclusive space that encourages interaction and exchange between refugees, support organisations and the local community. Its aim is to make a tangible contribution to integration and self-sufficiency of refugees. It also serves as a place where everyone's knowledge and cultures can be appreciated.
Stimulus/Rationale: At a time when the arrival of people seeking refuge in Paris is set to accelerate from 2015, the “Refugee House” was conceived as a resource centre for refugees, associations and Parisians working with them. It symbolises the welcoming policy of the City of Paris, which opens its doors to new arrivals, regardless of their origin or administrative status.
The House for Refugees project is therefore in line with Paris municipality's mobilisation plan for the reception of refugees (2015 and 2019). It reflects the will of Parisians, reaffirmed by the project’s approval in the 2017 participatory budget, and the City’s commitment to establishing Paris as a “Sanctuary City”.
Process: In 2019, the City of Paris initiated a call for projects to create the House for Refugees, a unique place dedicated to integrated newcomers and raising awareness among Parisians about refugee-related issues. The associations Emmaüs Solidarity and SINGA were chosen to carry out the project.
Emmaüs and SINGA then coordinated and managed the House for Refugees during its pilot phase from 2019 to 2024, located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. During these five years, the centre welcomed people of different origins and statuses and offered activities around five key themes:
- Integration and professional training
- Learning French
- Culture and sports activities
- Social support and health services
- A cross-cutting focus on women's issues
In June 2024, the House for Refugees moved to the 19th arrondissement next to the James Baldwin Multimedia Library. The new premises occupy a former catering high school that has been completely renovated as part of an ambitious architectural project. The site is symbolic, as it was first occupied by refugees and people in an irregular situations in 2015, before being converted into a university hospital for asylum seekers from 2016 to 2019, managed by Emmaüs Solidarity. The 900m2 premises include a professional kitchen, a reception bar, a collective forum space, a room for physical expression activities, an arts and crafts room, three classrooms, a computer room, five dedicated rooms for the House for Refugees’ operations with trained staff, a co-working space and a shared garden. The House for Refugees continues to host and offer activities through a robust network of partners selected through a call for expressions of interest. On-site activities will include:
- welcoming and accompanying refugees,
- group and individual activities to help integrate refugees (French classes, socio-professional meetings, cultural and sports activities, etc.)
- bringing together newcomers and long-time Parisians
- events (concerts, exhibitions, etc.),
- a solidarity café,
- a shared kitchen,
- a coworking space
Conceived as complementary projects, the House for Refugees and the James Baldwin Multimedia Library will work closely together to build bridges between the two venues and create a joint programme of socio-cultural events. The two places will also share space: a multi-purpose room and a co-working space.
Impact: Located in the 14th arrondissement, the House for Refugees has brought together 25 partner associations with Emmaüs and SINGA to provide up to 400 hours of activities per week (French classes, drop-in centres dedicated to finding work or returning to education, health access centres, sports activities, digital support, etc.) reaching almost 500 people each week at the peak of activity. The House for Refugees has also been a place of welcome and information, thanks to its bar-café open to all, and its welcome mediators. It received an average of forty people a day for information. It has been a place of conviviality and celebration, with dozens of concerts, round tables, meetings, forums, screenings and other events organised every year.
In its new location in the 19th arrondissement, the House for Refugees, which is open from Monday to Friday, on Sundays and the first Saturday of each month, welcomes around fifty partners to organise activities dedicated to integration and inclusion and to meetings between Parisians and new arrivals.
Key reference documents:
- Call for projects to set up the House for Refugees
- House for Refugees website https://www.maisondesrefugies.paris/
- Activity reports 2022 House for Refugees
- Article on the move to the House of Refugees : Link
