International Organisation for Migration

south west | miscellaneous | event notice Tuesday June 17, 2008 10:06 by Nick Thomas - The Pierian Centre info at pieriancentre dot com The Pierian Centre, 27 Portland Square, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 8SA 0117 924 4512

An Information Day devoted to the work of this leading inter-governmental agency.

As part of Bristol’s 2008 Refugee Week celebrations, the IOM Bristol Office is hosting a free Information Day at the Pierian Centre on June 19th - workshop, lunch, talks & film screenings.

The IOM is an international inter-governmental organisation that works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

You can expect an informative, friendly experience whatever aspect of migration you might be interested in, such as anti-trafficking, asylum seekers or the global movement of labour. The Pierian Centre provides a warm, welcoming environment for the occasion and you will be able to view the ‘Celebrating Sanctuary’ art exhibition during your visit. There will be a morning workshop at 10 am, information materials will be on display throughout the day, including details of the Assisted Voluntary Return programmes that we run in the UK, and we will have staff on hand to chat and answer questions. Refreshments will be available throughout the day as well as lunch from 12 – 2pm.

We will be showing a short film, ‘Shores Far Away’, by Indian film maker Savyasaachi Jain, at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm (if you can only come in the morning we will add extra showings), followed by a discussion of the issues that it raises, such as the pressures that lead to migration, the dangers that can be involved and the reality that is often encountered at the point of destination. There will be an opportunity to see an advertisement from the IOM Mission to South Africa’s award winning public information campaign on the danger of human trafficking and ‘Stories of Return’, illustrating the experiences of asylum seekers that have returned to their countries of origin from the UK with the IOM’s assistance, will also be on display.

We very much hope that you will be able drop in at some point during the day and would be grateful if you would pass on the message to as many of your friends and colleagues as possible. The Pierian Centre is at 27 Portland Square, St Paul’s, Bristol BS2 8SA - and we very much hope to see you there on June 19th.

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