A number of issues were of concern to the city and minority groups. In 2009, controversy erupted after a headscarf ban in schools became world-wide news , just two years after the city banned the wearing of all religious symbols by city employees.

Meanwhile, the previous local elections in 2006 resulted in a far-right Flemish nationalist party gaining 30 per cent of the vote; the opposition of minority voters prevented it from becoming the largest party at council. In spite of such political engagement, research by the Open Society Foundations showed that Muslims (particularly those from the Moroccan and Turkish communities) felt little trust in city institutions.

Minority relations in the city were stalled and with an election called for 2012, important decisions for the city’s future were on the horizon.

Needing change

As a port city of almost 500,000 located in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium (Flanders), almost 30 per cent of its citizens are foreign-born, coming from over 170 countries. Approximately 120 ethno-cultural organizations exist in the city as do a number of umbrella ethno-cultural organizations. Although Antwerp already had an ‘Ethnic Minorities Council’ (allochtone overleg en adviesraad) in place with representatives from minority organizations, it was seen as ‘old-fashioned’ and ‘polarizing’, and not as a source of policy advice. The city recognized that it needed a new start.

“There wasn’t that much trust,” says Rafike Yilmaz, policy advisor to Leen Verbist, Alderman for Social Policy, Diversity and Windows. “The organizations weren’t working together, they were working in their own little islands,”

“There had been frustrations at both sides,” says Naima Charkaoui, Director of Minderhedenforum. “The federations said that they were not involved enough, they were not listened to, they did not have real opportunities to participate. And the city realized they needed a new start.”

The Forum was seen as the right fit because it was an established non-profit umbrella organization. It already represented 17 ethno-cultural federations which, in total, included over 1,500 organizations and had an established history as an official ‘participation organization’ in Brussels. Its structure allows it to “engage as one voice” with various levels of government.

In 2010, the Forum accepted the council’s invitation to open a new branch in the city. The aims of the Forum were specific:

• to strengthen cooperation between the existing federations of ethno-cultural minorities through consultations and discussions;
• expand and diversify networks as well as link the federations with non-migrant organizations; and
• encourage participation in local government policy by developing policy advice, focusing on the 2012 elections and organizing training sessions regarding engaging with local government.

Whereas its earlier work focused on coordinating discussions between member federations in Flanders and Brussels, the Forum tailored its work in Antwerp to local circumstances by opening participation to individuals not formally connected to a member federation. Anyone can participate in training or discussion sessions.

“We have lots of different ethnicities here in Antwerp,” says Yilmaz. “It is a strength of Minderhadenforum that they can focus on the big communities but also the small and even the individuals.”

Local elections and beyond

The central theme to the Forum’s work, however, is helping to prepare minority communities for the upcoming local elections in October 2012. The Forum is providing a list of recommendations and facilitating contact between voters, local ethno-cultural organizations and politicians. It is also developing tools that can be used by member organizations (and the Forum itself) to provide training sessions for local voters on a number of topics, such as what it means to vote, what the different political parties stand for and how to register to participate.

The elections are important for another reason. The official relationship between the city and the Forum runs until October 2012. Then the new city council will decide whether the Forum continues for another six years until the next election. The Forum was not interested in a mere short-term contract designed to sway voter impact. It needed to ensure that the interests of minority groups be represented fairly in the business of local government for the long term. As such, the Forum required an independent relationship with the council and could not worry about the city shutting it down if the Forum’s community-based message was unpopular with some councilors.

“Because of these local elections we think this is a real opportunity even in the short term to work on this civic participation,” says Charkaoui. “This gives us some time to really build up something and in the worst case scenario even if we have to stop we can leave something behind so this hopefully reinforces participation of minorities in the local elections.”

Success

In November 2011, Minderhedenforum Antwerp had its official launch with a day devoted to talks, workshops, and debate on topics ranging from improving the diversity of city staff to reviewing a recent report on “Muslims in Antwerp” .Upcoming projects include media workshops for young people with local journalists to learn how to get the voice of youth to the decision table.

Critical to their success is Antwerp City Council’s recognition of the Forum’s status as an independent organization and third party voice for minority interests in the city. The Forum has already issued a public statement on their opposition to the headscarf ban by Antwerp City Council, in the belief that a public discussion of such matters lessens public frustration and results in better decisions. For example, public discussion over a partial ban in the city of Ghent by the Forum resulted in less frustration and anger from minority communities with the city.

“I think the importance of this initiative is that in a situation of really difficult relationships, the city chooses to work with an independent partner and a critical partner,” says Charkaoui.

“You have to have faith in an independent partner knowing that in the long run this will lead to a better relationship even if in the short run it can give more friction and more discussion and difficult issues coming on the table.”

This Good Idea was identified by the Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe project as a good practice promoting inclusion, social cohesion and nondiscrimination. For more on this practice and the At Home in Europe project, read Living Together: Projects Promoting Inclusion in 11 EU Cities (OSF, 2011)

In 2007, research conducted by the University of Birmingham and the UK Refugee Council (Refugees’ Experience of Integration) found that the representation of asylum seekers and refugees in local decision-making in Dudley remained low and these groups were rarely consulted on issues that clearly impacted their lives. Migrant communities felt a growing sense of disengagement and powerless to change their neighbourhoods or the services provided for them. The report also recommended that developing and strengthening “bridging networks” with the broader community would be a key factor in improving social cohesion.

Problems already existed on the Dudley housing estates which were built by the local council for people with low incomes. Although asylum seekers and refugees account for 0.16% of the area’s population, the borough had a history of British National Party activity, resulting in an upsurge of racism that many migrants had to deal with on a daily basis. Windows were broken and racist graffiti had appeared after the 2005 London bombings.

Tenants and Residents’ Associations

In 2009, the 5 Estates Project was founded as a two-year pilot project set up by the Centre for Equality and Diversity (CfED) in partnership with the Dudley Federation of Tenants and Residents’ Associations (DFTRA).

The impetus for the project came after a member of the DFTRA executive approached the CfED, formerly the Dudley Racial Equity Council in 2006, to discuss how to counter some of the problems on the housing estates and reduce tensions between communities and the social isolation of migrants. A key objective was also to encourage migrant communities to participate in local decision-making processes as few attended the TRA meetings.

Says Kenneth Rodney, Chief Executive Officer at CfED, “We were convinced that we needed to work with TRAs to access isolated migrants and challenge myths about migration.”

The strategy was to use the existing Tenants and Residents’ Associations (TRAs) as a vehicle through which to build positive relationships and break down barriers between migrants and the wider community. Together, they chose 5 housing estates across Dudley to initiate the project.

Reaching out to the community

Through funding from the Barrow Cadbury Trust, the project was able to hire a part-time community development worker to engage with the local community through outreach sessions, workshops and training as well as develop close relationships with migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on the estates.

Door knocking sessions and leaflet distribution proved successful in identifying where migrant communities were living within the estates and led to the identification of social issues. Furthermore, they generated interest in the project, with many becoming active members of the 5 Estates Project Steering Group or their respective TRAs. As a result, many migrants on the estate now are engaging in discussions with the wider community and contribute to local decision-making.

Key initiatives have included a theatre show, several celebratory events, regular coffee mornings and football competitions and a pre-Christmas seasonal get together event, which have resulted in building bridges and promoting intercultural dialogue. Workshops brought residents together from across the TRAs, as well as church representatives, mental health officials and other local community advocates. The project also organized trips to meet the mayor and the local elected representative at the Houses of Parliament.

One of the most successful activities has been a series of ‘Big Clean’ up sessions which bring together newcomers and the wider community to clean up the local area, thereby creating a sense of responsibility and common purpose. An evaluation report by funder Barrow Cadbury stated that afterwards, “people are beginning to recognise each other on the streets and say ‘hello’.”

According to the 5 Estates development worker Thierry Barholere, the scheme is also helping to ‘challenge stereotypes and dispel myths about refugees and asylum seekers’. A number of community awareness sessions have been organized during which asylum seekers and refugees have had the opportunity to tell their life stories. Myth-busting tools such as these, aim to develop empathy and connection between individuals on the estates. Said one participant: “Once you get to know each other, you realise we are the same.”

Success

“The TRAs used to complain: we invite them [migrants] to meetings, but they don’t come,” says Rodney. “Now they understand they’ve got to be positive about involving migrant communities – they have a responsibility to build bridges.”

By creating opportunities for residents to come together for a shared goal and cultivating an openness in discussions that enables people to speak inhibited about their prejudices without feeling judged, the 5 Estates Project is not only having an extremely positive impact on building shared pride and tolerance but also significantly improving local quality of life. Over 550 people participated in the 47 community meetings and events: 50% of whom are visible minorities.

The project also had impact outside of the housing estates. The mayor of Dudley and other politicians supported the 2010 Dudley Refugee week while the council is now publishing borough information in different languages. Importantly, other local TRAs have now shown interest in the project.

“Five Estates works because it’s based on partnerships,” says Rodney.

Learn about strategic city-led initiatives in Antwerp (Belgium) and Waltham Forest (London borough, UK) that strengthen the capacity of city councils, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens to work together for more inclusive communities and strong democratic institutions. This webinar is supported by Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe Project.

Webinar recording and resources will be posted shortly.

Participants will learn about Good Ideas:

• In Antwerp, the city council invited Minderhedenforum (‘Forum of Ethnic Cultural Communities’) to facilitate consultations with the city’s ethno-cultural federations, community groups and local residents to encourage dialogue and participation on local policy issues. With an eye on the upcoming local elections, the Forum promotes civic engagement through voter education and training sessions on how government works.
• In Waltham Forest, a diverse borough in east London, the city council was awarded the Beacon status for building “cohesive and resilient communities.” In a time when councils are facing tough cuts, Waltham Forest Council is finding new and innovative strategies to work with local voluntary organizations, minority communities, and youth leaders to accomplish their wide-reaching social cohesion agenda.

Speakers

• Claire Witney, Community Engagement Manager, London Borough of Waltham Forest
• Naima Charkaoui, Director, Minderhedenforum (Forum of Ethnic Cultural Minorities)
• Leen Verbist, Alderman, Antwerp City Council

Speaker BIOs

Claire Witney
Community Engagement Manager, London Borough of Waltham Forest

Claire started her career in local government managing large, high-density, social housing estates and delivering physical and community renewal. She has worked in local government for over 20 years in a variety of roles. As part of the team that responded to the terrorist arrests in Waltham Forest in 2006, she led on key projects and now has responsibility for the Council’s work on community cohesion and its relationship with the local voluntary and community sector (NGOs). She also manages the Council’s corporate mechanisms for resident involvement and participation including youth engagement.

Naima Charkaoui
Director, Minderhedenforum (Forum of Ethnic Cultural Minorities)

Naima Charkaoui is the director of the Forum of Ethnic Cultural Minorities. The Minority Forum regroups most grassroots organisations of minority groups (people from migrants background, refugees, trailer dwellers) in Flanders and Brussels (Belgium). Its 16 member associations regroup some 1.500 self-organisations. The organisation aims to strengthen the position of ethnic cultural minorities in society. The Forum takes up advocacy on a wide range of antidiscrimination policy issues affecting minority ethnic cultural communities in Belgium. It also actively encourages participation of ethnic and cultural minorities in society through a number of empowerment projects with young people and adults interested in taking an active role in society and/or politics. 10 years ago Naima was one of the first to be employed at the Forum. Naima is responsible for developing strategic and advocacy frameworks at national level. She holds a master in International politics from the University of Ghent.

The Toronto District School Board is the largest school board in Canada and one of the five largest in North America. With close to 600 day schools, it serves approximately 259,000 elementary and secondary students in the regular day school system. The board has been recognized as one of the most diverse in the world, with over 75 languages represented (Good Idea: Integration Through Education: Toronto’s Second Generation Makes the Grade).

Walking past the school yard

Before the teachers attend the walks, they participate in a framing session that supports the unpacking of biases. They also follow up with a debriefing session that facilitates sharing, consolidates learning and supports next steps. There are two kinds of walks in the programme – community walks and faith walks.

Community Walks: Educators in Toronto’s inner-city schools often live in communities other than those they work in and may not be aware of the variety of lived experiences of the students they teach. Community walks help them see the beauty, challenges, and possibilities of each community as well as the resources available to families and students. They provide teachers with tools and first-hand experiences in creating curriculum and learning environments that are culturally responsive and locally relevant. Participants visit local community agencies, nearby parks, grocery stores, apartment buildings, daycares, and health centers.

Faith Walks: Faith can play a crucial role in a child’s development and learning experience. Educators must be aware of the religious diversity in their schools to support the creation of practices that honour and value this diversity. Participants of Faith Walks visit places of worship such as mosques, temples, churches, and synagogues, and speak with religious leaders about supporting students of that faith in a pluralistic education system.

“Going on a Community Walk and debriefing with my colleagues brought about the understanding that there are limited spaces for students in the inner-city to play in a safe environment,” explains Bruce Currie, Model Schools for Inner Cities Teaching and Learning Coach.

“So, we really need to make sure that we are supporting daily physical activity and allowing children an opportunity to demonstrate their learning through bodily-kinesthetic activities and not simply pencil and paper.”

Success

After going on a Community or Faith Walk, many teachers have changed their curriculum and instructional practices to be more reflective of the students’ lived experiences. Administrators have questioned and revisited their school goals and budget decisions as a result of this experience. Several parents have expressed increased trust and faith in schools where educators participate in these events.

“I felt proud to see all these busy people coming to our home; I gave them a speech about how Bengali families run,” said Mr. Mujib, parent at George Webster Elementary School.

There has been a steady increase in the number of Community and Faith Walks since 2008. In 2010-2012, administrators and teachers from 15 schools attended a “model” Community and Faith Walk that they then replicated back at their schools. Currently, all staff members in the Model Schools for Inner Cities program, serving schools in high priority neighbourhoods, are being trained on the process and are using this awareness to support innovative teaching, supporting children’s well-being and parent and community engagement.

The TDSB Walks Initiative was also part of the Maytree Foundation’s tour of four cities in Germany in November 2011, called Good Ideas from Toronto: An Exchange of Immigrant Integration Practices.

In 2009 when the city decided it was time to review its 20-year old policies, its methods were equally forward-looking.  The city launched its  Diversity Moves Frankfurt (Vielfalt bewegt Frankfurt) campaign to canvas its citizenry about what integration meant to them. Recognizing that “every idea deserves a chance,” the campaign emphasized participation and welcomed a diversity of opinion as an expression of a healthy democracy that was essential to framing a common vision of the city’s future. The campaign was accompanied by a community participation process unprecedented in its scope. Its principal medium: the Internet.

By the end of the consultation, over 47,000 people had participated in the process from a wide cross-section of Frankfurt society. A broader view of integration could now inform public discourse, including the idea that Frankfurt’s diversity was even more varied than once assumed.

A changing city

The city of Frankfurt was the first city in Germany to grapple seriously with the issue of migrant integration in the 1980s. In 1989, it opened the  Office of Multicultural Affairs (Amt für multikulturelle Angelegenheiten, AMKA), the first of its kind in the entire country.  Controversial in the beginning,  integration initiatives such as Mama lernt Deutsch – Papa auch (Mama learns German – even Papa!) are today regarded as exemplary at both national and international levels.

Frankfurt’s approach was a model of success. However, with a population that included international migrants from over 170 countries representing a population of 670,000 (37% have a migration background), by 2009 the levels of diversity in the city were far from the once-held image of  a migrant population mainly from Turkey and Italy.

For Dr. Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg, Head of the Department for Integration and city councillor, it was time for a new concept for integration and diversity that moved away from the idea that integration only involved “foreigners.”

“We live in a city, but Frankfurt is a city with no walls. We do not decide on who comes to us,” said Eskandari- Grünberg in a speech at the time. “Therefore we must not rest on our laurels. We must decide how we want to live together.”

Asking the academics

Starting in 2009 and led by AmkA and the Integration Commission, the project launched with an invitation to two prominent academics to provide a sort of ‘blueprint’ for the public discussion. One was Steven Vertovec, Director of the Max Planck Institute, who had coined the term “super-diversity” to describe how many large cities had changed in their populations due to “new migration” patterns.

Among their recommendations was the idea that integration “should take into account the realities and the special potential of Frankfurt as a European metropolis of global culture.” In other words, Frankfurt was both a city of migration and an international financial capital, but needed to seek “renewed engagement, improved cooperation and better coordination” between the relevant players.

“These are like two different planets so now it is our task to bring together the two separate spheres,” said Helga Nagel, Head of AmkA.

I am a Frankfurter, because…

Critical to the success of the campaign was public participation in the consultation process. The medium for framing this issue and motivating the wider population to participate was the Vielfalt bewegt Frankfurt website.

The website included public information and core documents, such as the 236-page study, but more importantly, it actively invited audiences to provide their feedback in various ways throughout the campaign. Key was the idea that “integration was everyone’s business.” Visitors to the site could ask questions about the process, add to a “diversity map” of Frankfurt to highlight locations and neighbourhoods of interest, and login to register a personal profile that linked to all their posts on the site.

The online engagement component of the campaign took place in three phases, from October 2009 until February 2010. To start, people were invited to send in videos or blog posts on the subject, “I am a Frankfurter, because…” Next, the public was invited to answer five surveys to help determine important issues and  priorities  for the project. The final phase asked for new ideas that may have been missed in the process. Together, all three phases were completed in less than six months.

To ensure the process truly worked, old-fashioned outreach was also included.  This involved a “road show” approach where students armed with web-enabled netbooks from Goethe University and the University of Applied Sciences visited government offices, schools, institutions and city squares to ask the public for their opinions. Local advisory councils, citizens’ associations and other informal networks also participated and spread the campaign deeper into city neighbourhoods and sectors. In total, over 46 project-specific events  brought out the people and opinions of Frankfurt, including a live chat show with the Integration Commissioner.

Success

Reflecting on this unprecedented city-wide consultation, Helga Nagel observed: “We have become a true cross-cutting department [i.e., AmkA, the campaign hub]. What has always been our philosophy is now binding policy.”

In September 2010, the Frankfurt am Main City Council adopted the new Integration Concept that was developed by AmkA, and made an authentic expression of the people of Frankfurt through the Diversity Moves Frankfurt process.

Cities of Migration hosted an online conversation with Jane Allen, Partner and Chief Diversity Officer, Deloitte (Toronto) to talk about why diversity is important and what organizations can do to successfully integrate skilled, internationally-trained workers and fuel economic growth. Interview host: Justin Treagus, CEO, OMEGA (Auckland, New Zealand)

Deloitte is a global leader in accountancy and audit and the second largest professional services network in the world. Deloitte Canada was selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2011.

• Watch the webinar recording (in a new window)
• Download the Presentation Slides (PDF)
• Listen to the interview with Jane Allen and Justin Treagus

Watch the full webinar video

Resources

• Read the newest report from Deloitte’s 2011 Dialogue on diversity: Welcome to Canada. Now What? Unlocking the potential of immigrants for business growth
• Highlights from Deloitte’s report on Hireimmigrants.ca website: Overlooking Immigrant Talent Puts Canada at a Competitive Disadvantage
• Watch an interview with Jane Allen explaining how employers can help remove barriers
• To learn about the New Zealand perspective, read The OMEGA Diversity Perception Audit 2011, OMEGA’s inaugural diversity report highlighting the views and perceptions of New Zealand CEOs and HR Directors in relation to the diversity landscape of New Zealand

Jane Allen
Partner and Chief Diversity Officer, Deloitte, Toronto

Jane has a long history of tackling diversity issues. While at Ontario’s Ministry of Energy, she was seconded to the Ontario Women’s Directorate, a group established by the premier to focus on women’s issues. In 1992, as Assistant Dean for Executive Education at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Management, she co-founded of the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Jane joined Deloitte’s Consulting practice in 1996, became a partner in 2001 and national leader for the firm’s Power & utilities sector in 2004. She was named Deloitte’s Chief Diversity Officer, the first role of its kind in Canada, in 2008.

Justin Treagus
CEO, Opportunities for Migrant Employment In Greater Auckland (OMEGA), Auckland

Justin brings a range of experience in Leadership, Learning, Organisational Development and Change Management to OMEGA. He has led HR projects in six countries across Europe and Africa and understands the value in managing and leveraging diversity. As a member of a global Learning and Development leadership team at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, he developed and delivered induction and leadership development programmes aimed at maximising the benefits of diversity. He joined OMEGA as its Programme Director in January 2008, and has been responsible for its strategic direction, as well as developing the programme from inception to an independent organisation. In November 2009, OMEGA became an independent, not-for-profit organisation, and he was appointed CEO. He has been living in Auckland for the past 5 years and holds a BCom Honours from the University of Cape Town.

Take a look at the Good Ideas from Toronto programme and read about some of the presenters, including CBC Radio, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and the Toronto District School Board.

Cities are the destination of choice for most immigrants. The welcome cities provide to their newest residents is key to successful integration and, in the end, vital to their social and economic health. It’s also essential to the ongoing prosperity of the cities themselves. It’s not surprising then that cities world-wide are eager to learn from each other about what works in integrating immigrants.

In each city, the delegates will also have an opportunity to visit with staff of German projects to learn about local immigrant integration practices.

Watch the video of the Toronto delegate presentations from Berlin (at the Heinrich Böll Stiftung).

This exchange of ideas is organized in partnership with the Canadian Embassy in Berlin. We also thank our German partners, the Robert Bosch Foundation and the City of Stuttgart in Stuttgart, the Körber Foundation in Hamburg, the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin, and the Bertelsmann Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Integration and Social Affairs, North Rhine-Westfalia, in Cologne.

Like any well-run organization, city governments need smart strategies to effectively recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce to remain competitive in the marketplace and be reflective of the constituencies they serve.

Learn about employment strategies from two municipalities, Hamburg and Copenhagen, who have built a strong campaign and delivered results in their commitment to workforce diversity. International presenters from Hamburg and Copenhagen. This webinar is co-hosted with Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe Project.

• Watch the webinar recording (in a new window)
• Download the Presentation Slides (PDF)

Watch the full webinar video

Good Ideas to learn about:

In Copenhagen: the City Council is pursuing a new policy of inclusion and diversity aimed at closing the diversity gap in city government. Key to its success is engaging local businesses and NGOs in its efforts to end discrimination and provide equal opportunities for all. To do this, the City Council has developed a diversity charter and founded a diversity board representing major companies, educational institutions and cultural organizations.

• Read the full Good Idea: Engaging in Copenhagen: Taking a Diversity Charter to the Business Community
• Video Clip: Watch and listen below to Anna Mee Allerslev, Mayor of Integration and Employment, City of Copenhagen share strategies and lessons about the city’s Diversity Charter

In Hamburg: The City of Hamburg introduces a smart and savvy marketing campaign, “We are Hamburg! Won’t You Join us?” (The Wir sind Hamburg! Du bist dabei?) to recruit diversity into local government while promoting inclusion across the city.

• Read the full Good Idea: We are Hamburg! Won’t You Join us?” (The Wir sind Hamburg! Du bist dabei?)
• Video Clip: Watch and listen below to Stefan Müller, Project Manager “We are Hamburg! Won’t you join us?” share strategies and lessons about the city’s smart recruitment campaign

Resources:

• Open Society Foundations report: Living Together: Projects Promoting Inclusion in 11 EU Cities
• Muslims in Copenhagen, At Home in Europe
• Muslims in Hamburg, At Home in Europe

Webinar Presenters

Anna Mee Allerslev, Mayor of Integration and Employment, City of Copenhagen
Anne Mee Allerslev is the Mayor of Employment and Integration at the City of Copenhagen. She was the former President of DJØF Studerende at The Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists (DJØF) and Member of the Board at The Social Liberal Party of Denmark. She has served as the AGA-Consultant for the Local Government Denmark (March 2007 – September 2008) and the PA for Margrethe Vestager, the leader of The Social Liberal Party of Denmark. She was the Vice President of The Social Liberal Youth from 2006 to 2007. She has a degree in political science and law from the Københavns Universitet.

Stefan Müller, Project Manager “We are Hamburg! Won’t you join us?”, Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Authority for Staff Matters, Centre for Education and Further Training, Germany
Stefan Müller, who holds a degree in public management from the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration in Hamburg, is responsible for the conception and leading of marketing tasks as well as selection procedures aiming at trainees’ recruitment in terms of training programs and studies. Furthermore he is the project manager of the umbrella campaign “We are Hamburg! Won’t you join us?” starting in 2006, when the Hamburg Senate agreed a package of measures to raise the proportion of migrant-origin youngsters training for the Hamburg public service (general administration, tax authority, judicial authorities, authorities for the execution of criminal sentences, police and fire brigade) to a target of 20 per cent by 2011.

Nazia Hussain, Director, Open Society Foundations, At Home in Europe project

As part of the Open Society Foundations on-going work on minority rights and non-discrimination in Europe, Nazia is directing research and leading advocacy efforts on integration policies/practices in various EU cities and the impact of these policies on identity and belonging.
Prior to joining the Open Society Foundations, Nazia worked for over eight years in various post-conflict countries. She was deployed as a human rights officer with the United Nations in Afghanistan, with the OSCE in Kosovo and Croatia and the EU Monitoring Mission in Macedonia. She also worked for a number of years at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International as their researcher on Afghanistan. Nazia holds an MSc in political theory and political sociology and a BA (honours) in English literature.