A global campaign launching today, 'It Takes a Community', spotlights migrants and fellow community members who contribute to building stronger and more inclusive societies, especially taking into account their roles during the current pandemic.
'It Takes a Community' represents a growing movement to eliminate misinformation and anti-migrant sentiment worldwide by demonstrating the positive impact migration can have on communities everywhere. The campaign brings together a range of voices from across many sectors to demonstrate ways individuals and organizations are creating more welcoming, resilient communities.
This project is driven by national and local stakeholders: governments, businesses, youth networks and civil society. It is facilitated by the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) and led jointly by IOM and the Governments of Canada, Ecuador and the GFMD Mayors Mechanism.
"It is important to recognize the many ways that migrants and refugees are giving back and contributing positively to their communities, both in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond," said Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada.
"By sharing their stories and speaking up about how our countries, cities and organizations are stronger when we come together, we can all play a role in this campaign to push back against discrimination and create more welcoming and inclusive communities for all."
Over a period of 12 months, the campaign will disseminate authentic stories demonstrating how migration enriches lives. The campaign aims to inspire people around the world to join the movement by sharing personal stories on social media using the hashtag #ItTakesaCommunity, and take positive action supporting inclusiveness and diversity.
"COVID-19 has reminded us how important it is that all of us play a role in making our communities resilient, regardless of where we come from. "It Takes a Community" brings local stories to the global stage to inspire and ensure everyone in our society thrives," explained Sophie van Haasen, Coordinator of the GFMD Mayors Mechanism.
The campaign allows participants globally to share their own stories and messages. People can access a digital toolkit on the campaign's website, with customizable assets to promote messages of solidarity, collective action and inclusion. The toolkit is currently available in English and French and will be available soon in Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish.
"The 'It Takes a Community' campaign demonstrates what can be done in favour of migration by promoting a positive vision of the presence of foreign citizens in our country, through their experiences," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador.
The GFMD is an international forum that provides a space for informal, multi-stakeholder discussion and exchange on migration and development topics. In 2020, the GFMD Working Group on Public Narratives on Migration was created within the forum, involving representatives from national and local governments, civil society, business and youth organizations.
The group aims to promote balanced and evidence-based conversations about migration in the public domain and counters misinformation, an urgent priority set by the international community in the context of the pandemic.
