High Level Conference on Migration and Urbanization

October 26 and 27, the attendance at the conference on Migration and Urbanization gives the opportunity to have a first hand discussion with majors and ambassadors on the relevance of addressing the current migration crisis with human rights approaches. Since the Second World War, when 24 millions displaced persons motivated the creation of the modern urban planning building back bombed cities, the new crisis invites to revisit modern urbanism to see how to combat segregation and slum proliferation. A key for the conference are robust evidences of high percentages of migrants living in slums as a key to address the problem. The rise of intercultural cities resulting of forced displacement and economic migrants is already a reality in our cities that requires to be highlighted to check how our planning instruments are really responding to the complex demand of different ethnical and social groups coexistance in our cities. Alliance among municipalities and a regional perspective of the problem is a clue to develop new and more humane approaches. As the major of Madrid, express during the conference: "states built up walls to defend the citizens from the threat of migration. But cities open their doors to receive migrants as historically our cities have been made of people bringing new skills and culture to make our life better".

 Attendant majors in the same round table are:  Alfred Vanderpuije, Burgomaestre de Accra, President, Alianza Global de Alcaldes y Dirigentes de África y de descendencia africana, Ghana   • Manuela Carmena, Major of Madrid, España   • Ousseini Camara Mariama, Major of Karofane, Níger   • Ezequiel Milla Guerra, Major of La Unión, El Salvador   • George Kaminis, Major Atenas, Grecia • Leoluca Orlando, Major of Palermo, Italia