Local population plays key role for adaptation of migrants

Personnel changes have taken place in the presidium of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations. Valery Tishkov has been appointed to the post of deputy chairman of the Presidium, introduced in accordance with the presidential decrees of September 1st. He is a former minister for nationalities and Academician – secretary of the Department of Historical and Philological Sciences of the RAS. The Council Presidency was joined by the head of the Federal Agency for Nationalities, Igor Barinov, who immediately outlined the long-term objectives in the sphere of the state national policy.

At the meeting on International Relations of the Presidium of the Presidential Council Barinov spoke about the preparation of the project in the framework of the state program aimed at strengthening the unity of the multinational people of Russia (the Russian nation), provision of civil and interethnic accord, ethnic and cultural development of the peoples of Russia. During the discussion, the deputy head of the presidential administration Magomedov underlined the necessity to continue to engage in social and cultural adaptation of migrants, as after the abolition of the Federal Migration Service of Russia this direction may remain without proper attention.

According to the chairman of the Commission for Information of the Council of Nationalities Policy of the Government of Moscow, Jamil Sadyhbekov, migration policy in Russia was on a phased basis, taking into account all the shortcomings and all requests. The national strategy policy of Moscow, where one of the priorities was the decision of migration issues, was adopted on June 6th. "We took into account what was happening in Europe. We mean a counteraction to the creation of national territorial units and enclaves. What have Europe faced now? Refugees, migrants create enclaves where a separation of different religious views – Muslims, Christians – leads to problems. We try to get rid of enclaves in Moscow. The local population plays a key role in the social and cultural adaptation of migrants. If there are no such contacts, the process is unlikely to be developed."

In addition, there is a need for adequate information support in order to implement the migration policy. "Europe was not ready in terms of information for such an influx of migrants. While the EU has great potential for ethnic media, and information resources. And we try to work with the regional mass media, the information resources of ethnic associations. Who forms public opinion? Who informs about the migration policy concept? Who writes about migrants? What image of migrants do we create? It all depends on the media. How will this task be set for the media? Sometimes I am scared by the headlines. It is necessary to carry out educational activities, mobilize all forces and ethno-cultural autonomies and associations, as well as the media in covering this subject," Sadyhbekov said.

Sadyhbekov also noted the important role of national-cultural associations and non-governmental organizations, as well as civil society in the adaptation and integration of migrants.