16th International Metropolis Conference
"Migration Futures: Perspectives on Global Changes"
From the 12th to the 16th of September 2011, the 16th International Metropolis Conference will take place in an island society, the Azores, entitled "Migration Futures Perspectives on Global Changes". Metropolis is an annual, international conference that tries to bridge between research, policy and practice in migration and diversity areas.
The 16th International Metropolis Conference will assist that the Metropolis-Project develops and expands its geographical reach. At this first meeting in an island society the participants will be able to learn firsthand about migration from the point of view of a sending country.
The previous 15 conferences have concentrated on the management of migration and population diversity primarily from the perspective of the receiving society.
As guests of the Azores, the number of participants is given the opportunity to learn how countries of origin conceive of the emigration of their people and the participants will find out the practical and often remarkable steps the countries take to maintain a unity of their people and their cultures across vast distances. For example, more Azoreans live outside the Azores than on the islands. Nevertheless, there remain exceptionally strong bonds amongst the émigrés and between the émigrés and their homeland. How this is fostered and managed for Azoreans will serve as a starting point for the conference.
Moreover, the conference will deal with questions, for example how societies of origin think about their expatriate populations or how their interest in and allegiances to their homeland can be retained. Furthermore, the examination of the impacts of migration and diversity on receiving societies and societies of origin is to be continued in the course of the conference.
The German EMN National Contact Point will attend the Metropolis Conference and participate actively in two workshops on emigration and public perceptions of migration respectively.
