IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE THE LAUCH OF HELLO EUROPE’S POLICY UNIT IN BRUSSELS & WE HAVE A LOT TO TELL!
“Our mission is two-fold: to bring together our social entrepreneurs with EU decision-makers and translate their innovations into policy.”
In doing so, we also aim to contribute to changing the perception around migration by highlighting positive narratives about this phenomenon.
Our arrival in Brussels has been very timely, as the EU institutions have just been reshuffled following last May’s elections. We have introduced Hello Europe to MEPs from the main political groups in the European Parliament and shared with them our most innovative ideas in the field of migration and integration.
Hello Europe has quickly attracted interest and several partnerships and collaborations have already emerged. Our first public event in the European Parliament took place on the 6th of November and gathered over 30 participants from the EU institutions, permanent representations, journalist and civil society organisations to discuss and address the way in which refugees and migrants are portrayed in the media and the public sphere. The event was co-organised with the European Cultural Foundation and hosted by MEPs Dragoș Tudorache (Renew), Damien Carême (Greens/EFA), Erik Marquardt (Greens/EFA) and Anna Donath (Renew). A summary of the discussions and the list of recommendations emanating from the meeting can be read here.
In line with the above, we have recently launched a new project “Changemakers for Migration” (which you can read more on further down) in which we look for and identify migrant change leaders and collect their stories of change in order to build a new narrative that places them at the centre of the conversation. You can learn more and make your nominations here.
We have also started a collaboration with The Good Lobby of Ashoka Fellow Alberto Alemanno to prepare and upskill Hellopreneurs in their policy impact through webinars and other trainings. Over 25 social entrepreneurs from our network (Ashoka fellows and other entrepreneurs) took part in the first webinar hosted in early December.
We are now preparing the ground for 2020 and waiting for the new European Commission to sets its priorities in the field of migration and integration and start its work. Stay tuned as there will be more to come soon!
Interested in partnering with us on this work or just curious to learn more, get in touch with Laura Batalla lbatalla@ashoka.org our Migration Policy Representative.