Meeting of experts at Košice Integration Lab

On November 7. and 8., 23 people met at City Integration Lab in Košická Belá. They included experts in the integration of TCN in Košice (representatives of non-profit organizations and the Migration Office of Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic), deputies of the local and municipal councils, representatives of The Košice City Council, The Slovak Academy of Sciences and TCN who live in Košice.

ETP presented the City Audit Integration Report for Košice City, which reflects the current situation and activities. The report highlighted successful activities (mainly in the area of cultural and social integration, partly in housing), and described the weaknesses (missing city vision in the areas of migration and integration, first contact with TCN, cooperation with employers, provision of social services).

The workshop participants listed the benefits, which TCN bring to the city and discussed the possible future scenarios of migration in Košice. They also elaborated the practical measures of integration, which City of Košice could realize in terms of its competencies and capacity. A very interesting session was presentation about Košice with its rich multicultural history. Representative of the Migration Office presented the view on integration from the national level and non-profit organizations Marginal and Human Rights League invited representatives of the public administration to the Intercultural Training, which they will soon organize in Košice.

Outputs from the workshop will be used to develop the Agenda of Integration of TCN for Košice City.