Public Meeting on Settlement Consultation 9th August from 3 to 5:30 pm Green Fish Centre Manchester

‘Public Meeting on Government Consultation on changes to Immigration rules’

Migrants Supporting Migrants and Migrants’ Rights Network are organising a “Public meeting” on the Government’s proposals to change the Points based System & reduce Settlement Rights for particular groups of migrants.

Presentations from Migrant’s Rights Network Advocacy Support Officer Juan Camilo Cook & Immigration Lawyer, Nicky Dean and Community Representative.

Followed by workshops to discuss how we can respond to these proposals.

Come along and find out how you can get Involved!

Date: 9^th of August   from 3pm to 5:30

at the Green Fish Resource Centre

46 – 50 Oldham St.

 Manchester

 M4 1LE

Please complete the booking form attached to confirm your attendance or contact us info@migrantsupport.org.uk  phone: 0161 2267364 mobile: 07847480421

Thank you

Supported by: OXFAM, MRN and CIC

Cultural Event - Integration through Culture

Migrants Supporting Migrants invites you to the 4th cultural event of our programme 'Integration through Culture'.
This time, we are going to discover THE proper British theatre. Join us in our Shakespearian adventure!

                        AS YOU LIKE IT 
                                                     “All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players”

When Rosalind is banished by Duke Frederick, his daughter Celia runs away with her to the Forest of Arden where Rosalind’s father Duke Senior is in hiding. Orlando also escapes there from his dangerous brother Oliver. Rosalind and Orlando are already in love but in the forest Rosalind is disguised as a man...

Full of great characters, beautiful words, singing, dancing and jokes AS YOU LIKE IT shows a fragmented, bitter and broken world being remade into something completely different

For more informations contact Claudia at 07531 902 599

The event is free of charge.
Places are limited.
No MAYBE and no drop outs, please!

UPDATES

Projects

The “Migrants Voices from the North” project in conjunction with Migrants Supporting Migrants and North Manchester Radio FM 106.6 aims to help refugees and migrants to integrate into British life, access information, advice and guidance and participate

in local activities.

The project is presented by four teams – Spanish, French, Polish and Chinese. More information about the project can be found at http://migrantsvoicesfromthenorth.weebly.com/

Events

Starting March, we have committed to organise a monthly cultural event. This aims to integrate the migrants from Manchester into British society through arts.

8^th of March – Movie Projection and Debate on migration issues. Film: Ae Fond Kiss, Ken Loach. It is a movie about the power of religion, family and community. It is about hybrid identities, identitary frustration and (non-) integration. It is about the experience of migration of two distinct groups – Irish and Pakistanis in Scotland.

19^th of April - Exhibition Cornerhouse. Given the social unrest in North Africa, we thought it might be a good idea to visit the exhibition organised by Cornerhouse: Algeria-France-UK. "Making a timely intervention in current debates on colonial and post-colonial politics and culture, and exploring the links... and frontiers between Europe and North Africa in the age of neo-liberalism, New Cartographies examines issues of diaspora, migration, memory and identity by investigating the cultural and personal aspects of journeying across politically connected countries." (Cornerhouse)

6^th of June – Theatre Play at the Royal Exchange. Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman, lives with his wife Beatrice and young orphaned niece Catherine in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York. Two cousins from Sicily, relatives of Beatrice, come as illegal immigrants to stay in the Carbone’s home and find work on the docks. When Catherine is attracted to Rodolpho, Eddie’s life is thrown into turmoil. One of Arthur Miller’s masterpieces, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (Arthur Miller) is a powerful, passionate and gripping drama that uncovers the tensions in a tight knit community with its strict codes of behaviour.

“You won't have a friend in the world , Eddie!

Even those who understand will turn against you, even the

ones who feel the same will despise you!”

11^th of June 2011 Language Party

Migrants Supporting Migrants and the International Society held a fantastic event where everyone had the opportunity to share their culture, food, music and language.

Trainings we have received

9-10 April MSM team received a training from Manchester Central on governance. As a result, MSM decided to become a charity. The documents were signed on June 30, day when MSM officially became a charity.

Trainings we have given

15^th of March – Training Session at the Local Council. During the 3 hour training Sandra and Claudia, gave a training session on migration awareness. More precisely, the training looked at “Working to advance the welfare and rights of migrants in the UK”.

Social Benefits – MSM, in collaboration with Cheetam Hill Advice Bureau, organised a 6 weeks training (March-May) course on Social Benefits. It aimed to make the migrants familiar with the British welfare state and social system.

News and Updates

The monthly blog which looks at news and updates related to migration can be found at http://migrantssupportingmigrants.blogspot.com/

A quick overview of some changes or simply news in the world of migration July 2011

Overseas artists 'poorly treated' by visa system

The letter in the Daily Telegraph, signed by nearly 100 names from the arts world, says non-European artists are "poorly treated." The group says the points system, introduced in 2008, is "needlessly bureaucratic and intrusive". A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: "Creative artists from across the world are welcome to come and perform in the UK. As part of our commitment to the industry, we work with organisers of international events to ensure they are aware of the application process and are able to help facilitate urgent cases. However, as with any visitors to the UK, we expect individuals to meet our entry requirements."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13927454 

Unveiling the Truth: Why 32 Muslim Women Wear the Full-Face Veil in France

As you may know, a new law which bans the burqa has been introduced in France. As a result, Open Society have done a research which gathered 32 Muslim women. Have a read through their impressions!
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/home/articles_publications/publications/unveiling-the-truth-20110411

Man 'denied French citizenship over degrading views'

An inquiry showed the man did not respect the principle of equality between the sexes, Europe 1 radio quotes a French official as saying. An inquiry showed the man did not respect the principle of equality between the sexes, Europe 1 radio quotes a French official as saying. It adds the unprecedented decision signals tough new requirement for obtaining nationality. The unnamed man is said to have been married to a French citizen for years. An interior ministry official quoted by Europe 1 insisted the rejection was justified. The man's behaviour, the official said, had been "incompatible with the basic values of the French community and the principle of equality between men and women".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13722542

Migration settlement rights to be cut says Home Office

In future, only a "tightly controlled minority" from outside the European Union will be allowed to stay for more than five years. Ministers say they are also considering stopping wealthy business people staying on after five years. The move is part of the government's pledge to cut net migration to tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament. Ministers have already announced an immigration cap affecting skilled workers from outside the European Union and plans to restrict students. The government also says dependants of visa applicants may have to pass an English test. In a written parliamentary statement, Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "We intend to break the automatic link between coming to the UK to work and settling here permanently. "In 1997, there were fewer than 10,000 employment-related grants of settlement; by 2010, that number had risen to over 84,000. "We need to be more selective about who we allow to stay." The key proposals in the 12-week consultation include only allowing temporary residence for skilled workers, ending the assumption that anyone who comes to the UK can ask to stay after five years. Turfing out valuable migrant workers who are turned down for settlement would be incredibly disruptive to companies of all sizes”. Dr Adam Marshall, British Chambers of Commerce However, ministers say they could make exceptions for workers earning more than £150,000 or if they were in eocnomically important jobs. Another proposal is to ban non-EU domestic workers - people who work in private homes in jobs including cooks and nannies.The government is also considering limiting the rights of wealthy entrepreneurs or highly-qualified business people to settle.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13714028

French Minister claims two-thirds of children of non-European immigrants are school-dropout 

On 22nd May 2011, Mr GUÉANT made his controversial remarks, insinuating that children of non-European immigrants were somehow less capable than others. “Contrary to what people say”, affirmed Mr GUÉANT, “integration is not going that well: a quarter of foreigners who are not of European origin are unemployed and children of immigrants are responsible for two-thirds of school dropouts”. “This new provocation which stigmatises children is despicable”, added Christian CHEVALIER, Secretary General of SE-UNSA.
For its part, the Federation of Parents of Public School Students (FCPE – one of the main federations of parents of pupils in France) denounced the Minister’s remarks as “inconceivable” and asked where he had obtained such “crazy statistics”. According to a spokesman of Mr GUÉANT’s ministry, the figures come from the 2010 annual report of the High Council for Integration (HCI) on the challenges of integration in school.
http://www.migrationnewssheet.eu/?page_id=2737

Author: Claudia Paraschivescu claudia.paraschivescu@gmail.com