Cities of Migration is the name of an international conference in Berlin, Germany, June 4 to 6th, that will draw several Canadians, along with community leaders and innovators from around the world.
They are gathering to share their successes and their challenges. Ratna Omidvar, president of the Maytree Foundation, based in Toronto, says that while that city has a reputation as one of the most successfully diverse cities in the world, there are ongoing challenges. She says the secret to the success so far, has been the intentionality with which the city has dealt with waves of immigration over the last century and this one.
Ratna Omidvar says the one area in which Canada excels, is in the long-term success of immigrant children in school. Canada is widely admired for its education system.
Omidvar says she is eager to hear more about the achievements of other places. Cardiff, Wales, for example is championing its Polices Services involvement in teaching English to refugees, and why and how Barcelona, successfully implemented an anti-rumour campaign.
Calgary, Alberta mayor, Naheed Nenshi will take part in a panel with mayors from the cities of Detroit, USA, Helsinki, Finland and Christchurch, New Zealand, to name a few. They’ll be comparing strategies for the prosperity of all citizens.
Doug Saunders, the international affairs columnist of Toronto’s Globe and Mail newspaper and author of ‘Arrival City’, will talk about the city neighbourhoods that promote immigrant success.
And from the Royal Bank of Canada, Zabeen Hirji, Chief Human Resources Officer, will share how corporate leadership on diversity is changing the way Canadians do business and helps create an inclusive society.
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