Welcome to the Virtual Fair on migration and development!
EC-UN Joint Migration & Development Initiative (JMDI).
Set a date with people over the internet who do not normally meet up on a daily basis. Such exchanges via webcam are to give an unique opportunity to promote initiatives to political decision-makers whose task is to better millions of lives.
It all might seem a bit utopian, but in the wake of its initial success in October 2008 at the International Fair on Migration and Development, those promoting this joint initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission in the field of Migration and Development are not frightened about crossing the rubicon with a 'Virtual Fair' on the net.
It’s hats off to the initiative. The event, to take place in tandem with the civil society days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Athens, Greece, 2-3 November, will bring together thousands of 'virtual' visitors who will also be able to meet up and put questions online to the leading personalities taking part in the Athens event and also to visit the virtual exhibition which will highlight the best civil society initiatives started up in the field of migration and development around the globe.
"It’s a unique initiative in the field", underlines Cécile Riallant, migration and development advisor for the Joint Migration and Development Initiative (JMDI) "On the one hand, it enables people from all four corners of the globe to meet up virtually and exchange their experiences and viewpoints on how migration can promote development".
Highlighting that the 'Fair' has much more solid objectives than its 'virtual' aspect might suggest, Riallant says some very real opportunities arise from this initiative to strengthen civil society : "The event isn’t an end in itself. The virtual exhibition will bring together civil society’s most innovative initiatives.This will enable us to promote the best of what’s happening in the migration and development field and present them to the political decision-makers and eventually strengthen civil society’s capacities in both the legislative and institutional fields".
To this end, the JMDI has launched a call for civil society projects to be submitted before Friday, 9 October 2009. Only those initiatives that have been up and running for a year and showing a development impact will be considered. The JMDI is particularly on the look out for projects in line with the themes of the Athens Global Forum. Although the list is not exhaustive, it includes how a migration and development project can contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (rights of women and of the child, helping the poorest in society), as well as projects that facilitate migration and assist with the reintegration of migrants into society, also the rights of migrants to circulate freely which including improved rights for migrant women in the host country). Any other projects propelled by the positive effects of migration are welcome.