IV International Forum on Migration and Peace

New York, 18 June 2013: IV International Forum on Migration and Peace will be held at the New York Law School, in New York City on June 20 and 21, announced on Monday by Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN), along with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs in New York, the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations and the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS). Prominent persons numbering about 250 from public and private sectors will feature in the meet. Topics for discussion at the Forum include human insecurity, human development, international migration governance and commitments to be assumed by national governments and civil societies, a press release revealed on Monday.

The Forum will focus on creating a dialogue on migration issues in the current global context; aiming to not only present the current challenges facing human mobility, but also to discuss possible lines of action and leadership that governments and civil societies should consider, both from a local perspective as well as globally, in a world that seems to be increasingly integrated in economic, political, social and cultural spheres.
For SIMN, planning and creating this forum has been a very satisfying experience as we have been able to demonstrate our yearly progress. Since the first Forum was held in 2009 in Antigua, Guatemala, SIMN has faced many challenges, but, based on our ever-maturing experiences in context with our work, we have been able achieve much in our forums. We have been able to discuss short term decisions, achieve tangible solutions that ensure recognition of the promotion of the dignity of migrants and their families, and promote greater awareness of governments and civil society entities linked to migration. Furthermore, new policies that respect the human rights of migrants have been defined, which should no longer be part of a discourse, but, instead should become laws, clear and highly ethical, that then will allow human development of migration flows.
John Baptist Scalabrini, Founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles Scalabrinians,
argued that emigration in most cases is a disadvantage for the individual and often simply cannot be
avoided, becoming a necessity for people fleeing violence in their own countries or for those seeking
better prospects for development. Currently, migration also cannot be considered simply a necessity, but, also as a right, an idea which the IV Forum aims to reflect.
Human security and development, public safety, economics, social, environmental, and food concerns, as well as global governance of migration, will be the main topics of this forum, which will also feature high level speakers including Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York; Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; and other significant figures from the political, academic, institutional, religious fields and migrant organizations.

About Scalabrini International Migration Network:
Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN) is an organization that was created in 2005 by the
Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles Scalabrinians. It has more than 250 entities involved in various activities and services in order to help migrants around the world through policy advocacy and generating public awareness of the needs of migrants.Source: VR Sedoc