Refugees and Migrants in Europe: Discrimination and Xenophobia during COVID-19
Refugees and Migrants in Europe: Discrimination and Xenophobia during COVID-19
Hate speech, discrimination and xenophobia are on the rise due to the current pandemic, and governments and institutions are facing numerous challenges in tackling and addressing this issue. COVID-19 related hate speech has serious implications for minority communities. According to the United Nations, it increases the likelihood that they will be excluded politically and socially, deters them from seeking medical help, fosters isolation and stigmatisation and widens the gap for overall social and economic inequality. In extreme situations it can also trigger violence and atrocity crimes.
By focusing on the different challenges refugees and migrants are facing during the pandemic, this webinar will explore possible approaches to combat xenophobia, stigmatization and exclusion in different European countries. It will also combine insights from academic research and from grassroots work with refugees and migrants during COVID-19.
SPEAKERS
Mohsin Mohi Ud Din
Mohsin Mohi Ud Din is an artist, activist, and founder of #MeWe International Inc. (#MeWeIntl), a global non-profit that builds communications and storytelling interventions for psychological wellbeing, leadership development, and community engagement. His work has received honors from SOLVE MIT and Open Ideo. Mohsin’s innovative work has reached thousands of people across more than 12 countries, beginning with his Fulbright Scholarship in 2010. He has been a featured speaker at the World Economic Forum, United Nations, MIT, TedX, and his work on #MeWeSyria has been published on UNHCR Innovation, VICE, and Al Jazeera.
Dr. Ángela María Arbeláez
Dr. Ángela María Arbeláez is the founder of a non-profit cultural organization named ART Bridges. Previously, she taught History of Art at several universities in Colombia from 1992-1998, as well as completed a Fellowship at the University of Crete in 1998. In 2012, she was awarded the “Marca Pais-Marca Colombia” prize in honour of being a prominent Colombian citizen working abroad and in 2015 she received the Premio de las Americas in Israel. Both awards were as a result of her contribution to Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue. In 2018 she expanded her NPO’s activities to the slums, working with Greek Roma in Mytiline in conditions of extreme poverty.
Dr. Francesco Fasani
Dr. Francesco Fasani is an Associate Professor (Reader) at the School of Economics and Finance, Queen Mary - University of London. He is also a Research Affiliate at CEPR (Centre for Economic Policy Research) and a Research Fellow at CReAM (Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration), IZA (Institute for the Study of Labor; Bonn) and Fondazione Debenedetti. His main research interests are in Labour Economics, Applied Microeconometrics, Economics of Migration and of Crime. He has acted as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Organization for Migration and the World Bank.
MODERATOR(S)
Amanda Figueras
Amanda Figueras is a journalist and writer. She was working for a decade in the newspaper El Mundo where she achieved many successes. She is a truly interfaith dialogue’s passionate person and she is working with Foro Abraham (Spain). Amanda was also a fellow of the UN Alliance of Civilizations program (UNAOC) and has even been selected as a local project manager during 2018. Also, she has been selected as Kaiciid's European Fellow 2020. In 2018 she launched her book 'Por qué el islam: mi vida como mujer, europea y musulmana' ('Why Islam: my life as a woman, European and Muslim'). Amanda is a member of KAICIID’s Network for Dialogue, representing Foro Abraham.
