Mayor of London signs European charter on migrant integration

Mayors from some of Europe's biggest cities are gathering in London today for a major conference in City Hall hosted by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the European Commission, at which they will sign a charter setting out their vision for migrant integration policies.

 

 

Attended by more than 150 participants, the fourth EUROCITIES Integrating Cities conference is one of the year's largest debates on migrant integration in the capita, with keynote speeches by Boris Johnson and Diane Schmitt, Head of Immigration Unit at the European Commission's Directorate General for Justice, Freedom and Security.

 

It includes the launch and signing of the Integrating Cities Charter, which underlines the commitment of Europe's cities and mayors in addressing migrant integration through their roles as policymakers, service providers, buyers of goods and services and employers.

 

The Mayor said: 'London is a city shaped and enriched by the people who have come here from all corners of the globe. Our history is not only English, but is also the history of the Italians, French, Scandinavians, Jews, Jamaicans, Irish, Asians, and countless more.

 

'It is then fitting that London should be at the forefront of work to enable migrants to play a full and rich part in our society. Only by embracing the skill, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurialism of all of our residents – regardless of their place of birth – will London, and Europe, emerge from the global downturn stronger, brighter, and ready for the future.'

 

Newly appointed European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, has sent a message to the conference participants: 'Integration is a responsibility to be shared between immigrants and host societies, as well as between different levels of governance. The European Commission supports local governance initiatives because it is at local level that stakeholders develop contacts and forge relationships. With the signature of this Charter, the 'Integrating Cities' process has produced an ambitious outcome that I will be happy to promote within a new EU strategy on integration based on the common policy framework provided by the Lisbon Treaty and the Stockholm Programme.'

 

London, a city where at least 300 languages are spoken, is already at the forefront of measures aimed at integrating migrants and addressing social exclusion for all Londoners.

 

Last year the Mayor published Equal Life Chances for All, a framework to ensure all Londoners are able to participate and contribute to the life of the capital. London Enriched, also published in 2009, is the Mayor's strategy for promoting integration for refugees, developed with the London Strategic Migration Partnership. The Mayor wants there to be better ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) provision across London as a key to integration.

 

Other strategies and initiatives aimed at tackling social exclusion include the draft Health Inequalities Strategy, business and employment initiatives such as Diversity Works for London, CompeteFor and measures to boost apprenticeships. The Mayor has directed the London Development Agency and London Skills and Employment Board to pay particular attention to the most vulnerable Londoners in the wake of the recession, but all strategies and policies, from transport, to housing, to food have been designed to benefit all Londoners in an integrated way.

 

The GLA also commissioned research that showed a potential economic benefit of regularising an estimated 300,000 people who have lived, worked and remained law abiding in London for over five years.

 

Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes, who is chairing today's conference, commented: 'I am proud of the practical measures London is putting in place to enable migrants to participate and contribute to the future success of our city and that the capital is one of the first signatories of this charter. Migrants will have an important part to play in the future success of Europe as it emerges from the global downturn and it underlines each of our cities' commitment to ensure their skills, enthusiasm and entrepreneurialism do not go to waste.' ENDS

 

Notes to editors

 

Event:              Integrating Cities – EUROCITIES conference on migrant integration

Date:                Monday 22 February 2010

Time:                9:45am (keynote speech at 10am) to 5:15pm

Venue:             City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA

 

Media contacts

For additional information contact Ben McKnight on +44 20 7983 4071 / communitydesk@london,gov,uk and Caroline Greene at EUROCITIES on +32 2 552 0853 / Caroline.greene@eurocities.eu (Media only – not for publication)

1.      The Mayor published London Enriched, his Strategy for Refugee Integration, in December 2009. It sets out to define and implement his vision for refugee integration in London. To download this and Equal Life Chances for All go to the GLA website - www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/mayor/publications/society. For information about Diversity Works for London go to www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.867 and about CompeteFor go to www.competefor.com.

2.      EUROCITIES is the network of major European cities, which brings together the local authorities of 140 large cities in 34 European countries. www.eurocities.eu.

3.      The Integrating Cities process was launched in 2006 and is a partnership between EUROCITIES and the European Commission to promote the implementation of the Common Basic Principles on Integration at local level. It is based on a conference series and a programme of work led by EUROCITIES in close cooperation with the European Commission’s DG Justice, Freedom and Security. www.integratingcities.eu.

4.      Participants at the conference include:

Amsterdam            Ms Elvira Sweet, Chair of the City District Council, Amsterdam Zuidoost (South-East)

Athens                   Ms Alexia Evert-Alverti, Deputy Mayor for Equality and Social Inclusion

Barcelona               Mr Daniel de Torres Barderi, City Mayor's Commissioner for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue

Berlin                     Ms Kerstin Liebich, State Secretary Berlin Senate for Integration and Labour

Copenhagen           Mr Klaus Bondam, Deputy Mayor, Integration and Employment

Genoa                    Mr Marta Vincenzi, Mayor of Genoa

Ghent                     Mr Daniël Termont, Mayor of Ghent

Helsinki                  Ms Tuula Haatainen, Deputy Mayor

Milan                      Mrs Mariolina Moioli, Councillor for Family, School and Social Policies

Munich                  Mr Josef (Hep) Monatzeder Deputy Mayor

Oslo                       Mr Stian Berger Røsland Governing Mayor

Rome                     Ms Sveva Belviso Commissioner Social Affairs

Stockholm              Mr Ulf Kristersson, Vice Mayor Stockholm; Chair of Social Affairs Forum, Eurocities

Tampere                 Mr Perttu Pesa Vice Mayor

Utrecht                  Ms Margaretha Katherina Maria Spit, Deputy Mayor for Diversity