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Educational seminar on a selected topic of migration and asylum was organised for the third year by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the coordinator of the EMN National Contact Point in the Slovak Republic. This year the seminar was held in Bratislava from 19 – 21 August 2014. It was attended by more than fifty professionals working in the Slovak state and public institutions, academic field as well as non-governmental organisations.
On 17 August 2014, the community garden Krasňanský Zelovoc joined the global festival of pop-up restaurants Restaurant Day and for the whole afternoon it was successfuly transformed into a one-day restaurant. Migrants from Africa, Vietnam and other countries, for whom Bratislava – Raca has become a second home, took part in the festival and introduced their typical food and interesting programme.
The IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) published the new brochure Welcome to Slovakia that in the Slovak, English and Russian language provides foreigners with basic information about Slovakia prior to their arrival and about their first steps in the country. You can find here information and practical advice about stay and employment of foreigners; about education system, health care, social security system and other important aspects of living in Slovakia. The brochure also includes an overview of important contacts and institutions.
Advisory days One-Stop Shop for migrants from outside the EU will be regularly organized every last Thursday of the month simultaneously on the premises of the IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) in Bratislava and Kosice. One-Stop Shop means that migrants can obtain in one place comprehensive and free advice from the alien police department, labour and health insurance offices and the legal consultants of the MIC. The first of a series of One-Stop-Shops will be held on Thursday, 25 September 2014 from 12:00 until 16:00 in MIC in Bratislava and Kosice. You can find more information on the MIC website.
The IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC) is seeking to expand its cooperation with migrant communities in Slovakia and is looking for people who:
IOM launched a worldwide social media campaign #MigrationMeans. You are invited to contribute to the campaign with your own view of what migration means to you and how it has changed your life. Get involved and publish your photos and videos on Facebook or Twitter, using the #MigrationMeans hashtag. The campaign runs from 18 June 2014 and will culminate in December on the International Migrants Day. Read more.
In April IOM Bratislava organized two workshops in Trenčín and Dunajská Streda for officers from alien police departments and officials from labour and district offices, insurance company Union and labour inspectorate. The participants gained information on the latest legislative changes (Act on Residenc e of Foreign Nationals and Act on Employment Services), presented the activities and services of their institutions in the field of migration and solved case studies that can be helpful in their future work and communication with third-country nationals.
The third 2014 issue of the e-newsletter of the Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Slovakia informs about IOM activities that took place from April to June 2014.
Newsletter of the IOM Office in the Slovak Republic, Issue 03/2014
In the first half of 2014, IOM in Slovakia helped 23 migrants to return from Slovakia to 13 home countries and provided comprehensive assistance to 12 Slovak citizens who became victims of trafficking in human beings abroad. IOM Migration Information Centre in Bratislava and Kosice counselled 1,113 clients.
Representatives of migrants from different countries, in cooperation with the IOM Migration Information Centre (MIC), held already for the third time an event called “The World in Your Palms“. The happening took place in June in Kosice in the neighborhood Sídlisko nad Jazerom. Migrant communities presented interesting information about their countries, traditional gastronomy, music, dances and they created an especially friendly atmosphere. Visitors could taste the Thai soup, Indian main course and Peruvian dessert; admire Brazilian dancers and learn Latin dances; celebrate the festival of lights – Diwali; and most importantly get to know people from different countries and cultures from around the world, who live together in the metropolis of Eastern Slovakia.
