Borders: walls or bridges?

Publication of the Proceedings of the "First International Forum on Migration and Peace"

The proceedings of the First International Forum on Migration and Peace, that was held in Antigua, Guatemala on January 29th and 30th, 2009 are now published in both the English and the Spanish versions. This Forum was organized by the Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN). During the two days of the Forum, which had the theme "Borders: Walls or Bridges?," 218 experts shared, at the international level and in particular in the context of the American Continent, their comments, endeavors and ideas for the promotion of a truly human and peaceful coexistence of all as a universal right.

The proceedings collect the presentations, discussions and comments of the participants who came from almost all the American countries, with contributors also from Europe and Asia. There were representatives of governments and international organizations; of the academia and the media; of ecclesial and civil societies organizations, migration experts, migrants' organizations together with a number of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, like Guatemalan Rigoberta Menchú, UNHCR, Red Cross and Doctors without Borders. The publications include also interviews conducted during the Forum and the 'Antigua Final Declaration', a document that resumes the conclusions and the projections of the Forum.
Dr. Joseph Chamie, CMS Director of Research and Editor of the International Migration Review (IMR), thanks Ms. Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Guatemala, 1992 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate at the end of the pannel "Reconciliation and Peace-Building Process: their Impact on International Migration".
The objectives of the Forum were:
• To acquire and to contribute to a new knowledge of the relationship between international migrations and the processes of reconciliation and construction of peace.
• To engage in a high level dialogue on migration and peaceful coexistence for all, Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, representatives of governments, international organizations, civil societies, study centers, mass media and migrants' organizations.
• To encourage the Governments an Civil Societies Organizations to respect and protect the human rights of all migrants and to implement new and comprehensive migration policies.
• To develop proposals that engage the different social and political actors in the construction of a culture of welcome, solidarity and peace.
• To share the commitment of the Church with the migrants, their families and their communities, in the context of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the promulgation of the document Ecclesia in America.
• To establish a network in support of peaceful coexistence between migrant communities and local communities.
• To publish a summary and the proceedings of the Forum so that the participants may continue to operate as socio-cultural agents and promoters of a more peaceful world.

The proceedings of the Forum are now published in two volumes, one in Spanish and one in English. Copies of the publication are now available at: Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN)
27 Carmine Street, New York, NY 10014-4423
Phone: (212) 675-3993 E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Written by CMS
Wednesday, 27 January 2010 15:27