[Event Information]GSDM 120th Platform Seminar
“After the Refugee Crisis and Syrian conflict: What we can learn from German Experience about acceptance of Refugees”
2nd Nov, 2019 13:00-17:00 (Gallery 1, Ito International Research Center, Hongo Campus, the University of Tokyo)
| Date | : | 2 November, 2019, Sat. 13:00～17:00 (venue is open at 12:30) |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | : | Gallery 1, B1Floor, Ito International Research Center, the University of Tokyo (Hongo Campus) |
| Language | : | English, German, and Arabic (with Japanese translation) |
| Registration | : | The seat is limited to 60 person. Please register from the following site: https://kokucheese.com/event/index/581983/ |
| Organized by | : | -JSPS – Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research) “Interdisciplinary study of the migration and policy concerning Arab migrants-refugees in Germany” (Project number: 16KK0050) |
| Co-organized by | : | -Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEIS), Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (National Institutes for the Humanities) -Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), the University of Tokyo |
◆Abstract:
The 2015 European refugee crisis has revealed that conflicts in the Middle East are inseparable from other regions in the world including Europe. Germany was among the European states who accepted the largest number of refugees, a majority of them the Syrian migrants fleeing from the worsening conflict. Following the German chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door policy, the cooperation between the government and civil movements has strengthened and the country continues its effort in integrating refugees as source of human capital into their workforce.
On the other hand, Japan is known for its extremely strict refugee policy whose acceptance rate is less than 1%. In 2016, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had announced prior to the G7 Ise-Shima Summit that the country is accepting a total of 150 Syrian refugees over the coming 5 years. Of these, however, 100 are accepted through the framework of International Cooperation as part of a youth support initiative established by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The country still lacks the vision of accepting the refugees as part of the community for the long term.
Given such differences, what can Japan learn from Germany’s experience? For this lecture, we have invited a volunteer staff working at immigrant and refugee youth support NGO “BBZ” (Beratungs- und Betreuungszentrum) based in Trumstraße, Berlin, and their project participant from Syria. We hope this to be a valuable opportunity to hear their experience in the Syrian conflict, the process of moving to Germany to seek asylum, and to discuss the needs and ways of refugee support.
◆Speakers:
Mohammed Jouni works as a staff at Berlin based NGO “BBZ” which supports immigrant and refugee youth. He was born in Saida (Sidon) to a Palestinian family and later received German citizenship.
Ayman Bakir moved from Syria to Germany during the refugee crisis. His asylum application was accepted and has received a refugee status in Germany. Ayman now joins the project activities at BBZ.
