Education and dialogue are two key components that were highlighted during a conference on the integration of third country nationals yesterday.
The meeting was hosted by SOS Malta as part of their EUNET Integration Network project. This is co-financed by the European Commission through the INTI programme fund. The programme fund aims to promote the integration of third county nationals in the EU.
Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said that foreigners integrating into another society have to respect the traditions and culture of the country of adoption – this is fundamental for the process of integration to succeed.
Malta has a long history where people legally migrated and integrated in a number of countries such as Australia, Canada and the US, he explained.
Integration is an enriching process as it enriches the country of adoption with different cultures and experiences of other nationals, said Dr Frendo.
However, one cannot ignore that these cultures may be in conflict with Maltese culture, he added.
While the Maltese need to respect different cultures and draw on their experiences, migrants must create a strong sense of citizenship, said Dr Frendo.
“When one integrates into a society and becomes its citizen, he belongs to the society that adopted him and therefore should respect its traditions, values and culture without renouncing his own culture,” he explained.
Education plays a very important role and is at the heart of the integration process.
“We have to create an environment which helps this integration process and need to be tolerant and understanding as these people have rights granted to them by international conventions recognised by our constitution,” said Dr Frendo.
Emigrants Commission Director Mgr Philip Calleja explained that asylum seekers are people who are forced to leave their country of origin and find shelter elsewhere.
“However, with the exception of a few, all of the asylum seekers don’t want to remain in Malta and want to move on,” said Mgr Calleja.
Alex Tortell, from the Family and Social Solidarity Ministry, said the government is working on an information centre for the integration and welfare of asylum seekers and refugees.
Mr Tortell explained that the centre will provide information on asylum seekers’ rights.
However, Antoinette Zammit from the Red Cross suggested taking the information directly to the open and detention centres because otherwise it will not reach the immigrants.
Maria Pisani, from the Integra Foundation, said that dialogue and listening to the immigrants are the core elements to fully understanding the situation.
“The reality of the situation is that these people are here – we have to accept it and do something about it,” she said.
Ms Pisani spoke about the importance of looking at the bigger picture and not focusing solely on Malta.
“We are not just Maltese on one small island but are part of a larger world and we have to take this into consideration,” she explained.
There is a lack of information from both sides – it is not enough to simply inform the immigrants of their rights once. This information has to be repeated to them over and over again, she added.
Furthermore, said Ms Pisani, the time they spend in detention does not help with integration.
“The time they spend there should be used constructively – more information could be provided at that time so that they will be less angry and frustrated once they are released.”
Jesuit Refugee Service Malta assistant director Dr Katrine Camilleri agreed and said that integration should take place from the moment the immigrants arrive in Malta and not 18 months later.
“If at hospital you see an immigrant in handcuffs accompanied by a soldier, this will affect how you will accept them in society – negatively,” she said
Malta is still not a final destination, but it is a place where people have to stay, said Dr Camilleri.
Furthermore, she said, public discourse portrays Maltese society as being under threat, and that the immigrants are a threat to national security, cultural homogeneity and social cohesion.