Migrant for a weekend

'In Their Shoes', an EU-funded Youth in Action project, offers young people a new perspective on the migration issue.

How do you react to the issue of illegal immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees?

There are three-and-a-few-more ways you can react to such a hot issue. Firstly, you can stick your head in the sand and pretend it is not happening. Secondly, and probably most commonly, you can talk about it either with pity or annoyance, usually reiterating other people's opinions; or thirdly, and probably most uncommonly, you can get properly informed and maybe, get involved.

To start with, you need to be aware that these terms have different meanings and that not all people who reach our shores in overloaded boats can be put under the same classification.

And that these people should, in theory, be treated differently according to where they come from, the political or social situation in their countries, and so on. It's certainly not decided by the colour of their skin. Are you aware? Maybe not...

The idea for the EU-funded project 'In Their Shoes' was born as a consequence of the rising racist sentiment among young people in Malta. One would have thought our young people would be more tolerant and less influenced by what their elders say.

However, in actual fact, what seems to be happening with this issue, (and as with politics and support of particular football teams) is that young people are simply adopting and repeating opinions they hear at home.

What should one do? Talk at them, preach, create a media campaign? Success is not likely. 'In Their Shoes' was devised to offer young people a weekend experience of what it actually means to be displaced, to leave everything behind and face the unknown, to set out on a journey which unfolds from a total blank, and yes, even to experience discrimination and other hardships.

The project's ultimate aim is that, by the end of the experience, participants would have a clearer understanding of who these men, women and children are, of the journey they undertake and why they risk it, what qualifies them for refugee or humanitarian status, and of their experiences, rights and obligations.

Participants are given information on why these people leave their homeland in the first place,and time is allocated for questions and discussion.

Encountering individuals who have been granted humanitarian or refugee status puts a face to the masses and clarifies misconceptions.

The project is organised by the Young Communities' team of the Christian Life Communities (CLC) Malta lay Christian movement, and is funded by the European Commission under the youth initiatives sub-action of the 'Youth in Action' programme.

Last February, the EU Programmes Agency chose to showcase the project and present it to EU Commissioner for Education and Culture Jan Figel.

So far, three groups of students from St Aloysius' College, De La Salle College and the University have taken part. While each group was different, they all came out of the experience with positive reactions, having had a mixture of much food for thought as well as having had a great adventure.

The organisers hope that by the end of the year, about 100 students will have explored the hardships that asylum seekers endure to reach mainland Europe, appreciated the human factor in this global migration pattern, increased their personal knowledge on the subject, and reach a fair assessment of the situation all players face.

'Forced migrants are victims of other people's crime'

University student Marija Farrugia, writes about her experience:

"We got an idea of what it means to face uncertainty. As we walked from one landmark to the next, we did not have any clue of the distance between one and the other or where and when that day's walking expedition would end. Would we be given anything to eat? Did the little food we had have to last us all day?

"This kind of dependence on the generosity and consideration of others inevitably makes you trust others. In such situations, trust is your only hope.

"Refugees too, have to trust in the people they meet along the way as they run away from threats of imprisonment and death. They live in the hope that at the end of their journey they will somehow find safety and protection, albeit in a strange, unknown place away from home and loved ones.

"Unfortunately, people fleeing injustice often become victims of further corruption along their way, such as theft, and physical and sexual abuse. They are totally alone in a hostile world, without anyone knowing where they are or what they are going through.

"Getting a rough idea of what a displaced person endures made me aware of how great a delusion it must be to be held in detention. Whereas I used to regard detention policy as an unfortunate but necessary evil, I am now aware of how detrimental it is to the vulnerable people who land on our shores. They are victims of other people's crime, not criminals themselves.

"One of the most treasured outcomes of the experience is the opportunity to talk to individuals who have been granted refugee status and listen to their story, to get a better understanding of the seriousness of the conditions that force them to risk the trip to Europe.

"When we take time to know people on a personal level we realise that we are all really the same, with identical hopes, fears and needs. So we can understand each other and contribute to each other's life, and replace 'us and them' with 'we'."

All participants must be aged 16 or over, and take part in groups of not more than 20. Their personal experiences will be recorded in images and text to be used in the production of worksheets to be distributed at the end of the project for use in schools and educational institutions.

Educational institutions interested in participating in the project may e-mail the CLC Young Communities' Team on youngclcmalta@hotmail.com for more information.

The author is the project coach.