20 Dec EVENT: Rethinking migration to Europe: insights and proposals from Melilla
On the 7th and 8th of November, the University of Granada hosted a series of PERCEPTIONS dissemination events and workshops at its Melilla campus. Called “Rethinking migration to Europe: insights and proposals from Melilla”, the events were open to the university community and the general public. Around 80 people attended: a mix of university staff, university students training to become secondary school teachers, and first-line practitioners.
PERCEPTIONS partners gave talks about PERCEPTIONS empirical research, with talks focusing on results from interviews with law enforcement agencies (Rut Bermejo and Isabel Bazaga Fernández, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos) and from surveys and focus groups with first-line practitioners (Fernando García Quero and Marina García Carmona, Universidad de Granada). Invited speakers also presented their work on feeding empirical results into creative outputs, for example into the film DYSTOPIA (Samuel Sebastián, director) or comics (Francis Poyatos, graphic designer).
Participants listen to the PERCEPTIONS results. Fernando, Isabel, Rut and Samuel present.
In one workshop, students tried their own hand at producing creative outputs, drawing their own comics based on migrants’ stories with help from Francis Poyatos and Sergei Shubin (Swansea University).
Students draw comic books, guided by Francis and Sergei
Activities also included a tour of the city of Melilla, and a visit to the border and the CETI (Centro de Estancia Temporal de Inmigrantes– a temporary accommodation service for migrants).
Participants visiting the border fence
A range of local radio and television stations covered the events, with three articles in El Faro de Melilla (1, 2, 3), three radio interviews (with Radio Nacional Melilla Salvador, COPE Melilla and Onda Cero Melilla) and two TV appearances on Televisión Melilla (1, 2)
The events were a great way to bring the results of PERCEPTIONS to the university community and beyond, and to raise awareness of the face of migration in Melilla amongst project partners. A huge thank you to all those who attended!