“Mobility is an intrinsic feature of the human being, and it has been a key factor of societal progress and development over the centuries. Mobility can be a choice linked to personal aspirations and life projects, but sometimes it is simply a survival strategy, the only possible issue. This is the case for the 79.5 Million people that were forcibly displaced in 2019 to remain alive, according to UNHCR data.
Throughout history there are many examples of “famous” refugee persons who contributed to making their host country shining, showing that diversity can be a source of richness, dynamism and prosperity rather than a threat. But one doesn’t need to be Albert Einstein or Marie Curie to be able to make a significant contribution to their new country: the richness of diversity can be found in diverse language skills, diverse approaches to health and medicine, diverse thinking processes applied to problem solving, diverse ways of conceiving and approaching the reality: everyone can be a source of richness if they are given the possibility to take part, to be included, i.e. if diversity is managed in a positive and competent way.”
Statement of Ivana d’Alessandro, Head of the Intercultural Cities Unit, at the CoE/ICC – UNHCR joint webinar on “Creating Inclusive Cities, everyone can make a difference”, held on 18 June 2020
On the occasion of the World Refugee Day, mayors of the intercultural cities across the World join the “Everyone Can Make a Difference, Every Action Counts” online campaign:
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