First, for migrants themselves, a lot depends on the reasons for their movements. Is it a forced migration, are they fleeing from war, economic pressure, human rights violations, or have they decided to look for a new “home” because they have been invited to obtain a great job in another place? Was moving a choice of multiple options?
Second, for the receiving community, a lot depends on their situation as well. Is it a prosperous society that views arriving migrants as a great contribution to the economic, cultural, and religious diversity that their prosperity is actually built on? Or, in opposition, do they view migrants first of all as a burden, people that need “our” help, or who eventually will exploit “our” economic resource, a threat to societal cohesion?
In many European countries, the political discourse seems to be poisoned by stereotyping, scapegoating, and “othering” the migrants / refugees – in general. They have become an easy target group for populist campaigns and discrimination.
Theology – the reflection of societal phenomena from a faith-perspective, that views every human “being created in the image and likeness of God” – needs to add critical knowledge to and engage in that larger interdisciplinary discourse, if peace and justice are considered core values of (different) faith(s).
In this series of public panels, we want to learn from various perspectives:
- experts who research migration from different disciplinary perspectives;
- “experts in experience” – i.e. migrants and refugees who will share their experience and critically reflect on it;
- activists who are engaged in providing support for migrants / refugees;
- community representatives who have specific insights.
All of these voices, in a larger conversation with each other, we aim to collect as building blocks for necessary „peace-theologies of migration“.
About the Panelists
Samuel Lee
The founder and president of the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam, an institution dedicated to providing high-quality education to individuals from underrepresented and marginalized communities, including refugees. He is also rector of the Center for Theology of Migration at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Religion and Theology.
HtetPaing YeMaung
Originally from Myanmar and now doing PhD research at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. His research focuses on Old Testament and Peace Theology. He reads the liberation story in the book of Exodus from Myanmar context, grounded in peace theology. HtetPaing is also an active member of a Burmese Christian community in the Netherlands.