Cities and migration: comprehensive study of cities welcoming migrants and refugees

In today’s globalized world of international mobility, migration is a major contributor to urbanization. Cities play a crucial role in welcoming migrants and refugees and in their integration with local societies. Cities are spaces for refugee and immigrant reception, rights protection, and inclusion in local communities. Migration represents significant challenges for city governance, social cohesion, and realisation of human rights for all. This paper is based on, and describes, UNESCO-ECCAR-GMPA-Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation ongoing research project on ‘Cities Welcoming Refugees and Migrants’ launched in May 2016. The 6-year research project analysed contemporary experiences, policies, and practice of cities with a particular focus on Europe. This paper discusses the research project, its methodology, key types of data, documents and literature reviewed, and key findings. This paper discusses the trilogy of research questions: how to obtain knowledge and assessment of place, policy, and practice of cities welcoming migrants and refugees; whether there are common approaches and policies referencing values and rights; and do common approaches, policy, and practice represent a coherent values-based framework across multiple cities in Europe. The study of city experiences shows a largely common welcoming city agenda regarding the reception and integration of refugees and migrants. The research findings highlight that deliberate values and rights-based approach is the foundation of a welcoming city.