On 21-22 February 2022, the project partners of MILE – Migrant Integration Through Locally-Designed Experiences – came together for a hybrid event in Barcelona to officially kick off the two-year project. MILE is funded by the European Union’s ‘Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund’ (AMIF) and is working to promote the active engagement of migrants and refugees in local policy-making.
Participants met to discuss the objectives and activities of the project. They were hosted by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), one of the research partners of the project, and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), a think and do tank specialised in Euro-Mediterranean relations including migration.
A public event rounded off the first meeting day and allowed project partners to meet with various Barcelona-based organisations, researchers, and practitioners working on the topics of migration and integration. Participants were welcomed by the project partners as well as Dr. Rosa María Sebastián, Vice-Rector of Innovation and Strategic Projects at UAB, and Carlota Martí Niubò, Head of Press and Media at the Representation of the European Commission in Barcelona.
About MILE
MILE will run until December 2023 and brings together partners from Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK. By providing municipalities and migrant-led associations in the respective countries with research-based and locally-tailored mechanisms for inclusive exchange, leadership, and policy-making, MILE aims to promote mutual understanding and exchange between migrants and local governments.
In the long run, MILE will set up a European Network of Exchange and Collaboration (ENEC) among municipalities as well as a peer-to-peer exchange platform for migrant-led organisations, constituting the backbone of future collaborations. These two networks will be open to any interested organisations and municipalities.
For more information, please contact Vanessa Cotterell, UNITEE (vcotterell@unitee.eu).