Within the opening plenary, you will be able to listen to both welcoming remarks and keynote speeches from notable institutions. Keynote speeches will touch upon the issue of, first, forced displacement as a part of city agenda and, second, the importance of networking within the forced displacement realm.
09:00 - 10:30
Panel Discussion I Urban Refugee Management
The issue of global displacement and migration management is emerging in urban studies. Based on the UNHCR Global Report (2019), 86.5 million people are becoming a concern to UNHCR worldwide, including 4.1 million asylum seekers and 20.4 million refugees. Of this number, around 4 million (20%) are being hosted in Asia and the Pacific Region. In addition, the Asia and Pacific region is home to 1.9 million IDPs and 1.4 million stateless people (UNHCR). But although cities are shaped by migration, most are not well-equipped to welcome an increased influx of migrants resulting from forced migration.
The panel discussion is expected to include topics on:
The good practice principles of urban humanitarian response;
The existing and re-imagination of urban refugee management.
13:00 – 14:30
Thematic sessions I Rights to the City
Right to the city is not bound by the nation-state or legality of people but it concerns all who reside in the city, including refugees and asylum seekers as forcibly displaced people. The roles of cities to uphold these rights are encouraged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. The agenda and implementation of the right are indeed increasing in the refugees’ destination countries, however, this right to the city has not yet been seen as indispensable for cities of the transit countries. This session invites participants to re-discuss the right of the city for forcibly displaced people by providing the challenges and opportunity, best practices, innovative solutions, and lessons learned of Right to the City in transit countries.
This session is expected to include topics on
The rights to access basic services, healthcare, education, shelter, and employment;
Gender, child protection, and displacement;
Governance;
Urban development agenda, urban governance, and management; and
Transboundary collaboration and cooperation.
15:30 – 17:00
Networking Session
This is an unmoderated networking session dedicated especially for the participants who are willing to do networking and get connected with each other. The session will use a collaborative platform that will enable participants to network interactively and freely in designated rooms in GatheTown. In addition participants could also promote their projects/researches within the knowledge bank in Padlet platform. Click 'Go to Session' to get more information.
Agenda for Wednesday, 8 September 2021
Time (GMT+7)
Session
Link to Sessions
Description
10:00 - 11:30
Panel Session II
Moving forward Beyond Resettlement
In this current Global Refugee Crisis, the traditional Durable Solution could not cope with the challenges that the crisis put forth. With resettlement effort can only facilitate around 1% of the 20 million refugees in need of protection in the new country, we must find other alternative ways on refugee handling. Comprehensive Solution that was offered and initiated by the UNHCR, hindered by the slow process of acceptance and the reluctance of the host community, and even the refugees themselves. This session will talk about how alternative pathways and innovative solutions should tackle the challenge of the trend of sustained displacement.
This session is expected to include topics on
The trend of sustained displacement and how it affects the life of refugee and host community;
Thinking out loud on the possible solution;
The role of inclusive society as a foundation that provides both protection and solution for refugees.
13.00 - 14.30
Thematic Session II Space and place in the everyday life of the refugees and host communities Part I
Forcibly displaced people undergo being physically in existence at one place while having a sense of belonging somewhere else. The way spaces and places are postulated is important to refugees and asylum seekers concerns, not only in a spatial, geographical sense, but also in regard to how these spaces and places could be meaningful for any social integration and even identity.
This session is expected to include topics on
Architecture, environment, urban design, and its intersection with forced displacement;
Geography and spatiality of the forcibly displaced;
Placemaking, social initiative, integration, and empowerment;
Identities and place-belonging; and
Technology, big data, and social media as the new space and place.
15.30 - 17.00
Thematic Session II Space and place in the everyday life of the refugees and host communities Part II
Agenda for Thursday, 9 September 2021
Time (GMT+7)
Session
Link to Sessions
Description
10:30 - 12:00
Special session: Young and Resourceful: Navigating Forced Displacement as Digital Natives
The experience of displaced people has typically been defined by space and borders. However, in this age, more and more young people live in the shared space of the Internet, as digital natives. Many of these digital natives aspire to create a more just world through online movements. So, how do they juggle between propelling their digital movements and protecting themselves from backlash and surveillance? This interactive session will showcase digital movements and initiatives by displaced youths and their allies, and share ways for youths to drive digital movements and create social change.
13.00 - 14.30
Special Session Voices of Refugees: If I were to Describe Myself in One Word
Whether or not it comes to our realization, refugees and asylum seekers are always perceived as vulnerable. But this does not mean that they are not empowered and can contribute to change. This session is expected to be more like an interactive panel session to provide a point of view on how refugee communities and refugee-led organizations are empowering themselves and contributing to the society through their work in the field. By then, each refugee speaker has the privilege to choose and emphasize only one word to best describe and appreciate themselves.
15.30 - 17.00
Closing Plenary
Within the closing plenary, you will be able to listen to session reporting and observation remarks by the Rapporteur about key takeaway points, lessons learned and way forward, and closing remarks.
Notes:
The full agenda has been updated per September 1, 2021
