About Cities of Migration

Cities of Migration seeks to improve local integration practice in major immigrant receiving cities worldwide through information sharing and learning exchange.

The Cities of Migration website is anchored by a collection of “Good Ideas in Integration.” These profiles showcase good city-level integration practices that provide innovative and practical solutions to common problems and challenges. Under the themes of Work, Live, Learn, Connect and Plan, users will discover Good Ideas in the integration of urban migrants that can be adapted locally or inspire new thinking in this important dimension of city prosperity and growth.

To help integration practitioners explore our showcase of good integration ideas, we have provided a library of e-resources on related research, practice and policy. Practitioners are also encouraged to contact host organizations to learn more about specific promising practices or to register and post questions and feedback to the website.

Learning exchange activities and tools are designed to give city-level practitioners development opportunities and to help urban networks develop stronger ties. By increasing the effectiveness of local integration practices and the policy frameworks that support them, we hope to advance the place of cities in migration policy internationally.

  • Background
  • Objectives
  • Audience
  • Key activities

Background

The twin forces of urbanisation and global migration have created a rich field of action and experimentation in cities around the world on integration strategies for migrants. The success of many of these cities is to a large extent tied to their success in actualising the hopes and dreams of the thousands of migrants who choose to settle there. When they succeed, the result can be a strong economy and a vibrant “cosmopolia”, when they fail, the result can be poverty, segregation and social tension.

While migration policy is often discussed nationally, the lived reality of settlement and integration is uniquely local and urban. International integration projects and networks are mostly research focused, located in Europe, and rarely include the U.S., Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. They often work in isolation from each other, and few are global in scope. Cities of Migration recognizes that despite significant successes in the face of common challenges, there is still no organised way for Toronto to learn from Lisbon, or for Auckland to learn from Stuttgart.

Cities of Migration brings an urban lens to its view of good integration practice, and seeks to promote city-to-city learning exchange and create links between the many actors who are involved in the practical day-to-day work of making integration a key component of urban success, internationally.

Objectives

Cities of Migration will:

  • Showcase good city-level integration practices that can provide innovative and practical solutions to common problems and challenge. Under the themes of Work, Live, Learn and Connect, users will discover Good Ideas in the integration of urban migrants that can be adapted locally and inspire new thinking in this important dimension of city prosperity and growth.
  • Strengthen the connections and facilitate the sharing of information between key actors in the integration of urban migrants through a virtual hub and learning exchange featuring targeted resources and social networking tools.
  • Provide an essential resource for foundations, government, community sector organizations and businesses working to strengthen cities through migration.
  • Assist foundations, cities and other key actors in urban integration to understand common needs and advocate effectively for appropriate state, national, and international policies.

Audience

Cities of Migration addresses integration issues that relate broadly to international migrants and their families -both immigrants and refugees- and the children of migrants, even if they were born in the new host country.

Cities of Migration seeks to engage the full range of stakeholders engaged in the integration of urban migrants, including foundations, city government officials, community sector organizations, colleges and universities, employers, labour unions, resident and business associations, and private and public entreprise in all fields of work.

Key Activities

The Cities of Migration website features a collection of promising practices in integration and a set of integrated tools to help city-level practitioners, community and funder networks in urban migration and integration to develop stronger ties and increase the effectiveness of local integration practices. The major tools include:

  1. 100 Good Ideas in Integration. Explore 100 Good Ideas in Integration for new approaches to common challenges, demonstrated models of practice and city-to-city information exchange and learning. This collection of promising integration practices profiles successful city-level work that is innovative, practical and exportable from a wide and diverse range of city actors. Contact information, resources for further reading, and city-level information are also available to help you use and adapt these practices locally, wherever you live and work.
  2. Conversations on Integration. Where online community can meet for discussion, information exchange and shared experiences that will be hosted by practitioners working internationally in major immigrant receiving cities worldwide.
  3. E-Library. Our easy-to-search e-library provides resources, tools and links to support your research into good integration practices.
  4. Integration Learning Exchange. This area of the Cities of Migration project is still in development. In 2009, our users will be able to actively learn about successful integration practices by participating in virtual seminars and by reading about city-to-city exchanges.
    • City-to-city exchanges and virtual seminars exploring Good Ideas in Integration with follow-up networking so practitioners and emerging communities of practice can share their experiences or engage in discussion and debate;
    • Bi-monthly e-newsletter promoting new practices, convening or learning events;
    • Social marketing activities that build awareness and promote change.

For more information about the Cities of Migration initiative, please contact the Cities of Migration Secretariat at citiesofmigration@maytree.com.

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