From Local to National: Taking on the Challenge of the Reception of Immigrants and Citizenship

Confronting this challenge, local communities, especially cities, have contributed to redefining the notions of reception and civic participation in France, as well as in other European countries, during the past few years. Fully in line with this ambition, the city of Villeurbanne has launched a reflection group to review the issue of reception. This conference seeks to analyze local initiatives and their influence on national policies.

Program

Introduction: Reflection on Inclusion in the Face of Populism and Identity Politics in Europe

Christophe Bertossi, Director of the Centre for Migration and Citizenship, IFRI

Reception and Inclusion in the City: Local Initiatives and the Role of Civil Society

• Experience of Citizens’ Jury in Villeurbanne (Cédric Van Styvendael, Head of the Project Accueillir à Villeurbanne)
• Civil society and reception of refugees (Matthieu Tardis, Research Fellow at the Centre for Migration and Citizenship, IFRI)
• Considering the health needs in an inclusive approach (Agnès Thouvenot, Deputy Mayor for Solidarity Economy, Employment and Inclusion, Health, Antidiscrimination and Gender Equality, city of Villeurbanne)

Capacity-Building of Actors in the Field of Reception and Immigration

• Rethinking the role of work (Francine Blanche, Head of the Migration Unit, General Confederation of Labor, CGT)
• Social policies at a local level and the role of Community Centres for Social Action (Claire Le Franc, Deputy Mayor for Solidarity and Urban Policy, city of Villeurbanne)

The conference will be moderated by Danièle Joly, Research Associate at the Centre for Migration and Citizenship, IFRI.

The conference is organized in partnership with the Reflection Group Accueillir à Villeurbanne of the city of Villeurbanne.