Archbishop
Tomasi on interethnic, interreligious and intercultural exchange at IOM
Conference
(Vatican
Radio) Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN
and Other International Organizations in Geneva, spoke at a conference on
Tuesday entitled “Migrants and Cities: New Partnerships to Manage
Mobility”, organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Mons.
Tomasi introduced his statement with figures illustrating how, “for the first
time in human history, the density of population in urban areas surpasses the
population in rural areas”. He said such demographic change could “turn much of
the world into a global city”. The Archbishop outlined the positive effects of
this trend, namely “the promise of economic progress, upward social mobility,
greater access to jobs… improved education opportunities and healthcare”.
However,
he did go on to illustrate the many challenges faced by migrants and their host
cities. Mons. Tomasi expressed concern about the fact that “migrants have been
relegated to confined areas”; he explained that “these areas function as a type
of exclusive social “barrier”, a sort of enclave for the wealthy classes, who
shelter themselves within walls of protection against the insecurity that comes
from social inequalities”. This fragile situation led the Archbishop to call
for “a rethinking of the relationship between the city and migrants… in terms
of urban space… and their interactions with other social groups”.
Mons.
Tomasi then turned to the positive role played by migrants, demonstrating how
they “contribute to the economic and social development of host cities”. He
pointed out that “their involvement in the social and civic life of the urban
community facilitates their integration and allows them to give back to the
host country what they have received”.
He
called for all urban citizens to “interact and to become involved together in
issues of common interest and develop interethnic, interreligious and
intercultural activity”. Such interchange will, he hopes, lead to a “dynamic
two-way integration process, required for the creation of a shared
citizenship”.
He
reminded those gathered at the conference that “migrants become the “living
proof” of the quality of a democracy”. He observed that “policies supportive of
migrants… offer an extraordinary occasion for reflection on the values on which
a democracy is based”. In other words, such policies “constitute a unique
opportunity to improve respect for human rights and the basic principles of
civilization”.
Concluding
his statement, Archbishop Tomasi quoted Pope Francis: “The multicultural
character of society today… calls us to deepen and strengthen the values needed
to guarantee peaceful coexistence between persons and cultures”.
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