Symposium on the Sub-Saharan Diaspora in Belgium

Last month, in collaboration with Afribel (United Afro Belgian Artist), Cemis (Center for Migration Studies, University of Antwerp), CGO Kasala (Afro Belgian Organisation created by Prof. Dr. Kabuta) and Cood, FOYER organized a ‘Symposium on the Sub-Saharan Diaspora in Belgium’ on 19 March 2009

FOYER is a nongovernmental organization concerned with migration and its consequences in Belgium. They do a great deal to help refugees and other immigrants to make a new home in Belgium. Multilingualism, social cohesion, refugees, women rights are some of the issues they try to tackle besides many more. They organize events, workshops, meetings, language courses, support groups etc. and help immigrants to organize themselves and be heard by the government.

This organization has been working for 40 years and therefore organized a Symposium on the Sub-Saharan Diaspora in Belgium. They invited representatives of the Afro Belgian communities and members of government to talk with each other and reflect on the presence of new communities within Belgium and its meaning for Belgium and Africa. Foyer wants to focus on the positive sides of migration, how everybody can gain something out of it, how it enriches Europe, and how it can influence Belgium’s relations with Africa.

On Foyer’s website you can see two video’s of approx. 30 minutes where you can follow the discussions tackled during that symposium. The languages in the video are Dutch and French.

The first video is about which role the African diaspora can play in Belgian and European cooperation. The second is about how to associate and motivate the African diaspora in the economical, social and political development of Africa.