News & Events Event Reports

Global Crises, Local Impacts: Threats to Social Cohesion and How Cities Can Respond (September 2024)

Publication Date:

25/10/2024

Content Type:

Event Reports

Share:

Tags:

asylum seekersClimate ChangeEuropeGlobal Crises Local ImpactsHate SpeechMigrationNorth America

— 3 minutes reading time

Event Details

Description: The latest webinar in our Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiative webinar series focused on a challenge with significant impacts at the local level: migration. The debate over migration policy – whether at the local, national or international level – is often contentious, and at its most extreme, can see communities targeted with hate and violence. Despite the evidence of positive impacts of these new arrivals for cities and countries around the world – including experiences shared by the experts and local government representatives who joined us for this webinar – public opinion can quickly shift to apprehension and fear. With migration continuing to rise globally – whether due to climate, war or in search for economic opportunity – how cities navigate these challenges will be crucial.

Where & When: 25 September 2024, virtual 

City Panel Speakers

• Atlanta (Georgia, USA)
• Columbus (Ohio, USA)
• The Hague (The Netherlands)

Organisations Represented

• Institute for Strategic Dialogue, presenting on its latest research on migration in Ireland
• International Organization for Migration, presenting on work with municipalities and communities in Poland.

Key Takeaways

• Migrants are increasingly the target of on- and offline hate, which in some cities includes protests and vigilante-type attacks on migrants and false rumours of crimes allegedly committed by migrants. Social media platforms are failing to take effective action against the promotion of hate targeting these new arrivals to communities, despite how it is inciting violence against refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• There are several steps that cities can take, and in many cases are taking, to prevent and respond to mis/disinformation surrounding migrants and, more broadly, to anti-migrant hate. These include, among others:
  
  • Mayoral leadership promoting the city as a ‘welcoming’ one and messaging the economic benefits that accrue to the city.
  • Providing resources to help ensure new arrivals are supported and have opportunities, including ensuring (with support, where appropriate, from civil society organisations, or national or international partners) that new arrivals have access to interpreters, lawyers, psychologists and other professional in reception and detention centres.
  • Adopting a place-based model of outreach to ensure that these new arrivals who may not have trusted relationships with government and with predominantly limited English proficiency, can interact with the city and municipal representatives.
  • Ensuring that the composition of the local police department reflects the diversity of the wider community.
  • Providing a support network for communities when heated political rhetoric about/targeted at these communities rises – so that members of these communities know that the city is there to help them navigate these divisive issues.
• At the city-level, coordination among the mayor, city council and local government regarding the city’s welcoming policies and overall mission to support both long-term residents and new arrivals, is crucial for reducing anti-migrant sentiments. Coordination (including with respect to both communication and support) and understanding among different levels of government is also important for maintaining social cohesion.

Next Steps

On Thursday, 31 October, we will be celebrating World Cities Day with a webinar for our global membership: a conversation with mayors from across our global membership on the challenges they are facing at the local level and how their cities are navigating these challenges. We look forward to resuming our Global Crises, Local Impacts webinar series on Wednesday, 27 November. Stay tuned for details.

Additional Resources

• Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiative webpage, Strong Cities Network
• Global Crises, Local Impacts: Key Findings & Recommendations to Date, Strong Cities Network (April 2024)
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network (updated May 2024)
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (updated May 2024)
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism and Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (updated May 2024)
• Resources for Cities: Addressing Hate & Extremism, Strong Cities Network (updated May 2024)
• Navigating Local Impacts of Global Crises: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Cities – Lessons from the Israel-Gaza Crisis, Strong Cities Network (December 2023)

News & EVENTS

Stay up to date with recent news, articles and event reports

News & Events

Looking for something in our Resource Hub?

Or explore all resources

Nominated for Best Animated Short at Cannes

Watch now

Join US

Looking to become a Strong City?

Get in touch