Session I: How does the world perceive migration?
Moderator: Mr. Rachid Alaoui, Expert on minority discrimination issues related to media treatment
Guiding Questions:
- What factors drive and influence public perceptions on migration?
- What channels of communication and messengers do governments use to shape narratives on migration? How do they engage with traditional and new media?
- How can policymakers counter false or incorrect information that is being leveraged to propagate negative perceptions about migrants and migration?
- Do public perceptions about migration apply to migrants in general, or do they vary across different subtypes of migrants?
- To what extent does the media play a role in influencing attitudes to migration? How can governments engage constructively and effectively with the media in promoting realistic narratives on migration?
Speakers:
Ms. Latifa Akharbach, President, High Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HACA), Morocco
Mrs. Latifa Akherbach, appointed as President of the High Authority of the Higher Council of Audiovisual Communication, is currently and since February 2016, ambassador of His Majesty the King in Tunis. She was previously appointed Ambassador to Bulgaria and Macedonia in 2013. Between 2007 and 2013, she was appointed Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Ms. Akherbach, who has taught in the media field for more than 20 years, was appointed director of the Higher Institute of Information and Communication (ISIC) in Rabat in 2003, a position she held until 2003. In 2007, she was appointed director general of the National Radio.
She has co-authored several books, including "Women and Media" and "Women and Politics". She has published several articles and studies on media and communication. She is a laureate of the Higher Institute of Journalism and holds a PhD in Information Sciences and Communication at Paris II University in 1988. She is married and has three children.
Dr. Mark Lopez, Director of Global Migration and Demography, Pew Research Center
Mark Hugo Lopez is director of global migration and demography research at Pew Research Center. He leads planning of the Center’s research agenda on international demographic trends, international migration, U.S. immigration trends and the U.S. Latino community. He is an expert on immigration globally and in the U.S., world demography, U.S. Hispanics and Asian Americans. He was previously the Center’s director of Hispanic research, and prior to that served as the associate director.
Lopez received his doctorate in economics from Princeton University. He is the co-editor of “Adjusting to a World in Motion: Trends in Global Migration and Migration Policy” and an author of reports about the Hispanic electorate, Hispanic identity and immigration. Lopez frequently appears in U.S. and international media in both Spanish and English.
Ms. Danila Chiaro, Project Manager, EUROMED Migration IV, ICMPD Regional Coordination Office for the Mediterranean
Ms. Chiaro is currently Project Manager at ICMPD, in charge of the program EUROMED Migration IV, which is based in the ICMPD Regional Coordination Office for the Mediterranean in Malta. Before, she worked at the European Commission (DG DEVCO) as program manager, in the thematic unit on Migration and Asylum and previously at the geographical unit covering the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). She also worked previously as a consultant on EU funding mechanisms, providing technical assistance to national and regional authorities. She has a degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in EU studies.
Ms. Lucila Rodriguez, Executive Director and Co-Founder, PorCausa
Lucila Rodríguez-Alarcón is the Cofounder porCausa foundation where she has been General Director for the last 3 years. She began her professional carrier in Brussels where she directed a lobbying consultancy for 6 years. She was Communication Director of Oxfam in Spain and Latin America and Head of Press and Communications for the Madrid City Council. She is the Director of the section Con M de in the newspaper Publico which specializes in migrations, and has collaborated with El Pais or The Guardian, among others.
Mr. Reda Ez-Zriouli, on behalf of the young people on the move
Aged 18, Mr. Reda Ez-zriouli has just graduated with a high honors degree. His dynamism is illustrated by his participation in numerous conferences and debates and his commitment to defend the rights of the child. In particular, the rights of young migrants, who, according to Reda, still suffer from a restriction of their fundamental rights.
Reda is a young leader who is trying to make a change in his community. He is also interested in social entrepreneurship and has participated in numerous national and international events (World Merit Council Summit, Reading and Leadership Summer Forum, Injazz Al Maghreb). Named as the best young Moroccan entrepreneur in 2017 (at MYSEC), Reda is vice-director of a 'Start up' which aims to help young migrants to continue their studies in the best conditions. In addition, he participated in the educational competition on migration organized by the Ministry of National Education in which he 'won the prize for best writing in Kenitra. On the other hand, he was elected best delegate of the United Nations Model (A-Mun 2019) whose subject was on migration. His skills were illustrated during his participation in the GFMD, serving as a "panel speaker" during the plenary "Africa, a continent in motion."
Dr. Sarah Lamort, Refugee Status Determination Officer, UNHCR
Sarah Lamort has been working in the area of refugee protection for the last 10 years. She joined UNHCR in 2014 working as a Legal/Protection Officer. She worked in Turkey, Egypt, Brazil and Morocco. She assumes the function of Refugee Status Determination Officer with UNHCR Morocco since 2017.
Before joining UNHCR, she worked for various NGOs in France and Turkey. She holds a Master degree in Human Rights Law and a PhD in Public Law from Lyon University in France. Her PhD thesis on the European Union Asylum Law and Policy received the 2015 Award of Le Monde de la Recherche Universitaire. Her main publication is entitled « Europe, Terre d’Asile? » Paris : Presses Universitaires de France, 2016
Mr. Mohamed Elkaza, Journalist of the Egyptian daily newspaper Al Ahram.
Mr. Elkaya, works as assistant editor in chief of Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper. He works on Journalism investigations specializing in immigration issues.
Six years ago, he conducted investigations and reports on migration from Egypt, Italy, France and Lebanon, having numerous television interviews on migration issues.
Discussion