'How to live in this double reality'
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 By Rikko Voorberg, Director of the Network
Were you torn too, this summer, between posting happy, relaxed, summer pictures, and sharing the dreadful news coming from Gaza and the Westbank, or Ukraine, or from new inhumane policies in the country you come from?
I sometimes just don’t know. How to live in this double reality.
Thankfulness for beauty and peace is as important as crying or protesting with those in need. But sometimes, it’s just too hard. And then I am silent, for a bit.
These and other things, we will talk about - soon. Between us as practitioners, physically. The single most important time of the AWoN year - our Summit. It’s happening in Poland this time, close to the Belarusian border. The grim reality of people’s suffering will be whispering all around us. And we will talk; personally, professionally, vision sharing and deepening our connections.
Thank you for being connected, every subscriber, every follower and every like to the posts of our practitioners count. We keep each other on our feet, for we keep hope. For Europe, for a diverse and welcoming continent. Together we work on it and make every step count. You are not alone, we are not alone.
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A World of Neighbours - is it possible? |
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‘In a time when migration policies are becoming stricter, Europe is closing its borders to people fleeing for their lives. When groups are being set against each other, the boundaries of what we say about one another are shifting. How do we keep being good neighbours and compassionate fellow humans? How can theology and interfaith collaboration offer support, hope, and perseverance?’
As part of Stockholm Eucumenical Week 2025, AWoN Sweden will be hosting a panel discussion at the Stockholm Mosque on August 21st. Hosted by Javeria Rizvi Kabani, member of A World of Neighbours’ Advisory Board, the discussion will bring together Professor Azza Karam, Archbishop emeritas Antje Jackelén, AWoN’s Network Director Rikko Voorberg and David Lazar, Rabbi of Congregation OR Hamidbar in Palm Springs California.
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Our Annual Summit is around the corner!
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We are finally there! In a month, migration practitioners, advisory board members and researchers from all over Europe (17 countries represented last year), as well as local guests, will be gathering for a week in Poland to connect, celebrate and strategize.
We have been witnessing it since our first summit: it is essential for practitioners to take time off to reflect, relax, meet and spend time with colleagues from other countries, faiths and cultural backgrounds. The annual summit is where we recognise the unity of work, reaffirm our vision and set out our common goals for the following year as a network by onboarding new Team members, co-creating priorities, and electing new board members.
We cannot wait for this gathering and the new encounters, alliances and promises it holds!
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MigraVoice - amplifying voices of people on the move in EU media |
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At AWoN, we work to challenge hegemonic narratives around migrations, which too often reproduce racist prejudice and dismiss the voices of whom they speak for and about. This is why we are very happy to share the work and call of MigraVoice, a platform connecting migrants and refugees with journalists seeking new perspectives: ‘We want your voice, knowledge, and experience in areas such as science, technology, education, art, or any other field you work in to be recognized as a trusted source.’
Are you interested to join as an expert to share your migration experience or journalist willing to learn from people on the move themselves? Learn more about this EU-cofunded initiative here and join the project by filling this form!
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A World of Neighbours’ mission is to empower migration practitioners through maintaining an interreligious and cross sectoral peer-to-peer support network of practitioners. We foster a “community of practice” among those working on the front lines of accompaniment of people on the move, and social cohesion.
AWoN is the only network of its type - and we need your support to keep up the good work.
Would you consider making a donation to keep us going?
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We're on a mission to support migration practitioners and to expand our community of practice. Follow us! |
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Support for AWoN projects was provided by a grant from UMCOR.
Top photo: Practitioners sharing a hug at the Annual Summit in Greece, September 2024. By Loïc Druenne. All rights reserved.
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