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EUNET IN Project (2006-2008)

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Project Name: EUNET Integration Network Integration of Third Country Nationals

Target Group: Immigrants from Non EU States

Content of Project: Development of concepts and modules to integrate third-country nationals. Focusing on democratic and European values.

Leading Partner: Stichting Kontakt der Kontinenten, the Netherlands

Other Partners:

Sonnenberg Kreis, St Andreasberg, Germany
EUNET, Bonn, Germany
IUC-Europe, Svendborg, Denmark
IPUEL, Lisbon, Portugal
SOS Malta, Valletta, Malta

Duration: 18 Months – Start date 4 September 2006

Financing: European Commission – GD Justice

This project is co-financed by the European Community under the INTI Programme - Preparatory Actions of the Integration of Third-Country Nationals

EUNET_Integration Project (PPT)
 

Immigration Conference

Illegal Immigration - Racism - Cultural Diversity - The Media
4-5-6 October 2006, Hilton Malta

Immigration to Malta was the centre of debate at a conference on the 4-6 October which was well attended by the civil service, the media and civil society members. Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Mr Hadish Haile Gabre Mariam, Dr Ruth Farrugia, Dr Brenda Murphy, Mr Aidan White, Dr Katrine Camilleri, Mgr Philip Calleja, Mr Andreas Accardo, Mr Tesfamichael Beraki Mekonen, Mr Bryan Magro, Mr Martin Scicluna and Fr Paul Pace SJ all presented their thoughts and there was constructive debate on the issue with members of the floor.

For a transcript of the conference click here

INTI National Meeting

The Integration of Third Country Nationals
Tuesday 6th February 2007
The Music Room, St James Cavalier, Valletta
8:30 – 13:00

The INTI National Meeting was an important event where the main stakeholders working with third country nationals (TCNs) in Malta met to discuss the integration of TCNs in the EU.

See the programme of the meeting See a summary of the meeting

Powerpoint presentation:

The Integration of Third Country Nationals - Challenges
by Dr Katrine Camilleri, Jesuit Refugee Service

EQUAL Project: Integration and Employment
by Mr Mario Friggieri, Agenzija Appogg

EUNET Integration Network Seminar

Friday 2nd November 2007

"The Integration of Third Country Nationals - A Two Way Process"

The EUNET Integration Network, a network of NGOs and Migrant Organisations from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Malta, today hosted a seminar discussing "The Integration of Third Country Nationals - A Two Way Process". The seminar was organised by SOS Malta who are the Maltese network representatives, and it was attended by 25 international members of the EUNET Integration Network as well as by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, the Organisation for the Integration and Welfare of Asylum Seekers, the International Organisation of Migration, UNHCR Malta and Amnesty International Malta Group.

The network partners summarized their national policies and experiences of integration of third country nationals, and it was interesting to learn of the various backgrounds of immigration and integration of the five nations represented. In Germany it is calculated that 20% of citizens have a background of migration. The phenomena of irregular migration to Malta is a new one and the authorities are doing a significant amount of work to facilitate the arrival and integration of third country nationals in Malta. There is nevertheless much more that needs to be done to help irregular migrants to integrate into life in the EU. Mrs Marika Podda Connor has studied the health of asylum seekers and found that their dangerous journey and their long and dehumanizing detention in Malta have created injury, disease and severe psychological difficulties for irregular migrants. These are also negative consequences of the current detention policy that is creating unnecessary increased costs for the country, and conditions in these centres must be improved to tackle such problems.

Mr Ahmed Bugri, a Maltese citizen, announced the setting up of a new NGO called TSN (Third country national Support Network) Malta through the initiative of the EUNET Integration Network. The main aim of TSN Malta will be to provide support, advocacy and service to third country nationals living in Malta. Membership is open to all people including Maltese, and it has already been active in contributing to the EAPN Report on Employment and Social Inclusion.

Miss Julia Pitschmann from Germany outlined her network's view of integration which can be defined as the recognition of the human dignity of all people, where discriminatory practices are removed and where we recognize that "all of us are in the same boat, and divesity is an opportunity."

A Maltese lady, Mrs Marcelle Bugri, said that it makes a big difference to one's view of foreigners when one is oneself living abroad in a different culture, such as when she and her husband lived in Brussels and had to get by in a strange culture. A third country national, Mr Tesfamichael Mekonnenberaki, highlighted what he sees as the best instrument for integration, which is personal contact. Through his work and by simply chatting with people on the bus many Maltese have understood irregular migrants and "people now know me as Tesfa"

Links to people working on immigration in Malta

Jesuit Refugee Service: www.jrsmalta.org
Red Cross Malta: www.redcross.org.mt
Integra Foundation: www.integrafoundation.org
Malta Emigrants Commission: http://www.maltamigration.com/about/mec.shtml?s=D5A5AD77-7D6A23112717-2F9F
Moviment Graffiti: http://www.movimentgraffitti.org/aseekers/index.php
Appogg: www.appogg.gov.mt
Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs: mjha.gov.mt

Documents on Immigration

Jesuit Refugee Service
European Union
Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs