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“European countries today are faced with thousands of refugees who have fled Syria and other war-torn countries to places they usually know very little about. Receiving such large crowds poses enormous challenges. The way we handle the refugee crisis, not least the settling in and integration process, will be of utmost significance, both for the attitude towards refugees and asylum seekers in the future, and for the long-term stability and sustainability of our own societies”, said Knut Vollebaek, ambassador and former Norwegian foreign minister, in his speech at the WCC/UN conference on Europe’s refugee crisis, held in Geneva 18-19 January.
“Refugees don’t flee to Norway because they have been dreaming about our winter landscapes but because they unwillingly have had to leave home. They flee from a place, not to a place, and they do it in such large numbers that receiving countries have problems meeting their obligations according to international law and standards”, Vollebaek pointed out.
He warned against a prevailing shift in rhetoric toward justifying the closing of borders, restricting access and returning so-called “non-worthy refugees at the expense of actually addressing the many challenges related to integration”.
At the same time he spoke candidly about the necessity of control: “A naive attitude will backlash and undermine people’s trust in authorities which will have serious consequences and move people into the hands of nationalists and populists, Vollebaek warned.
He also reminded the audience that this is first and foremost a crisis for the people fleeing, which raises demands for political will and much better coordination in addressing the root causes of the conflicts.
Education and employment
In his speech Vollebaek, who also serves on the Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), went on to present a comprehensive ten-point checklist to deal with the current situation and facilitate integration.
He especially highlighted employment and education as fundamental for long-term success in integration.
“Education, especially for children, should be given the highest priority and cannot wait until formal refugee status is granted. Keeping asylum seekers idle for months and years is detrimental to any integration efforts. This also raises the question of the refugees’ legal rights and their need of legal representation to ensure proper handling of asylum applications”, Vollebaek explained.
Immediate language courses are another critical factor on his checklist for successful integration.
“All experience shows that language proficiency is the single most important factor for any integration process. It is unwise to let language courses depend on the granting of refugee status or residence permit”, Vollebaek continued. Such procedures often take long and valuable time is lost while frustration increases among the refugees who are unable to communicate with the local population.
The importance of religion
Religious affiliation also plays an important role for successful integration. Vollebaek urges receiving countries to try to connect asylum seekers with appropriate local religious groups.
“Often authorities in Europe have little understanding of the importance of religion in peoples lives. Civil society, churches and other religious communities may offer their assistance and can be a useful tool in bridging gaps and facilitating integration”, he explained.
The importance of getting to know the people who seek refuge and share their stories ran through his speech as a common thread and he repeatedly reminded the audience that being a refugee is neither a profession nor a permanent situation.
“The great influx has made refugees into mere numbers. It would help the understanding and acceptance of the newcomers if we see them as individuals and learn about their reasons for fleeing, as well as their life before fleeing”, Vollebaek pointed out.
The archbishop of The Church of Sweden, Dr. Antje Jackelén, touched the same note in her reflections as a religious leader from a country that has received more refugees per capita than any other European country:
“There is a danger in just looking at the statistics and the number of people coming to seek asylum. This is about what is right, not about opposite ways of seeing things. We must acknowledge that if we manage here in Europe the whole world will acknowledge it. We need a cohesive collaboration which needs religion”, she said.
Vollebaek concluded his speech by calling for an end to futile discussions about pros and cons of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society: “Our societies are multi. Therefore we have to discuss how to make this multifaceted society viable and as good as possible for as many as possible”.
More information on WCC work on migration (including conference documentation)
WCC/UN conference calls for coordinated action on refugee crisis (WCC press release of 20 January)
