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
Jille Bellisario
Academic Dean of the “School of Integrated Human Rights” at the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam. Experienced in community organizing, leading transnational campaigns on migration, development, and human rights, contributed to UN dialogues and policy development. Combines advocacy with mentoring and academic program design.
Amisah Bakuri
A post-doctoral fellow at the Faculty of Religion and Theology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. With more than ten years of research experience, she specialises in various fields such as religion, migration, well-being, sexuality, gender, and the health of minority groups, particularly the Black and African diaspora.
Sara Figueiredo Pôncio
A master’s student in Peace, Trauma, and Religion at VU Amsterdam, and a postgraduate student in International Law and Human Rights. Born in Brazil, Sara’s academic and professional journey was shaped by her experience working with migrants, which sparked her interest in the challenges faced by displaced populations and shaped her commitment to advocacy and research in this field. Exploring the intersections of theology, law, and human rights, with a strong focus on migration, peacebuilding, and justice, she has contributed to research examining theology’s role in addressing forced migration, highlighting its potential to inform responses to displacement and advocate for the dignity of migrants and refugees.