The six messages

“Is democracy dead? Long live democracy”: the theme of the Social Weeks of France (SSF) 2011 is summarized in a question and in a statement. The meeting closed November 28 in Paris its 85th edition themed “Migrants, building a future together”. Three days of work, reports and debate, which in an interview to SIR Europe, its president Jérôme Vignon, summarizes in six messages: to civil society, to political institutions, to the European Union, to migrants, to the Churches and to the media.To civil society: “It’s important to welcome migrants in the job environment and across society, by making available dignified housing solutions for them. Migrants are faced with integration difficulties, and social structures sometimes discriminate against them for fear or diffidence. Full integration is possible in the workplace, especially through equal opportunities tools for all, regardless of ethic background, country of departure or religion. Indeed, successful integration is encouraged by social housing in all geographic areas and not only in isolated urban areas that risk becoming ghetto enclaves”.To political institutions: “A long-term migration policy is needed. It is necessary to not only focus on the current difficulties, which are exploited instrumentally to attack migrants. Instead, it’s important to organize migration policies in the acknowledgment that the migrant workers will one day return to their countries of departure where they will act as ambassadors of our democracy and culture. It’s a question of living and acting with concreteness and farsightedness in the framework of new forms of human mobility. To this regard, the benefits brought by migrants to the societies and economies in which they live must be enhanced, as many of their skills are implemented in the Countries of arrival. At international level it’s important to highlight immigrants’ contribution to the development of their countries of departure”.To the European Union: “The EU should better organize its migration policies to include not only border control but also incentives, while supporting joint regularization policies in order to reach an agreement enabling open-end working contracts for the migrant population. This would uproot illegal practices, migration pressure on EU borders, illegal immigration and riots between minority groups. The EU is tasked with adopting concerted regularization measures and cooperation with Southern Countries in the framework of the European Union for the Mediterranean. The EU has the means to create the grounds of reciprocity among migrant populations of the Northern and Southern Mediterranean shores, so that cooperation will advance beyond questions regarding border defence and protection. For this, there is an urgent need for European foreign policy, which is also a cornerstone in EU relations with Mediterranean Countries. We need a policy that will better integrate the commercial and economic dimensions with those of human migrations: the free circulation of means and services isn’t enough”.To immigrants: “We are aware of their thirst for integration and their yearning to drawn near us. This yearning and this desire represent a possibility for us and for them alike. We are asking them to respect our customs, traditions, and legislation and we pledge to learn about and value their lifestyle, their cultural traditions, with the purpose of promoting coexistence. We want to advance together”.To the Churches: “They are already very active in the field of hospitality, asylum rights, fundamental rights towards which Christian faithful have shown great sensitivity. Now further commitments for long-lasting hospitality are needed, namely, as relates to integration and to the establishment of social work for cultural and religious diversity. Special effort must be placed in granting a ‘chance’ to European Islam. Enculturation in a national society is very important for religious dialogue, this entails stripping Islam from embarrassing extremist factions. Most of all, the Churches must devote major efforts to the human fabric of our societies, which are ever more disjointed. To this regard, what Benedict XVI calls relativism is a true poison. Those who arrive in our countries with a different culture, lifestyle, will also fall victims of this weak thought. The Churches justly underline the importance of social cohesion, marked by the Christian foundation of fraternity”.To the media: “The media can play a wonderful role, since through them passes the information that we need to change the vision on the theme of immigration. Without the media we would never know what is happening in the detention centres in Europe and we would never raise questions to this regard. But the media are also called to share successful integration experiences, and not only crime news characterized by episodes of violence and marginalization. Finally, the public opinion must be made aware of positive cases, to show that integration is possible”.