Towards an agenda of convergence of migrants and inhabitants
Encounters and co-ordinations at RIO+20
A part of the activities of encounters and co-ordinations at Rio+20 were the steps taken towards the convergence of the movements of migrants and of inhabitants, who have common problems and aspirations in as far as migrants are a part of the inhabitants occupying any given space.
The International Alliance of Inhabitants (IAI), consisting of various networks and organizations of inhabitants of the world which, having undergone a process of linking together in recent years, held a successful assembly during the Peoples Summit Rio+20 together with other networks and their approximately 800 delegates from around the world; one of their agreements was to seek convergence with the migrants’ movement.
In accordance with this agreement, a representative of the IAI participated in the meeting on migration and climatic change which various networks of migrants organized within the Summit through the Migrations Working Group by extending this important invitation to come and to act together to the networks and organizations that form the migrants’ movement the world over.
The beginning of this convergence was defined by the participation of representatives of organizations and networks of migrants in the Urban Social Forum, an alternative to the World Urban Forum of the UN-Habitat, to be held in Naples, Italy, from 3rd to 7th September and at the Africities, Dakar, Senegal, Africa in December this year, and at the World Assembly of Inhabitants, World Social Forum in Tunis, Tunisia, Africa, in April 2013.
Representatives of inhabitants will participate together in the 5th World Social Forum on Migrations in Manila, Filipinas, this coming November. Furthermore, we have committed ourselves to joint demonstrations at the World Zero Eviction Days, in October and at the important World Demonstration on the Day of the Migrant, 18th December.
Both movements will make every possible effort to carry out this agenda of converging participation, by taking advantage of the support, resources and the representatives they have at disposal.
The invitation remains open to all who can and wish to be part of this convergence by participating in this agenda of activities and being conscious that these are very important strategic steps for the mutual strengthening of the fights of fraternal movements for a future that many of the world’s peoples need and are building.
June 22 2012