LET’S GET TO KNOW THE SAMISI project

 

 

In the week from the 10th to the 15th of May the first edition of SAMISI - Stimulating Awareness on Migration through Integration and Social Inclusion took place. 

 

It is a project organised by Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Alliance in collaboration with ESN Italy, whose objective is to strengthen awareness about social inclusion and migration issues, in order to improve the lives of migrants, especially in academic environments. 

 

In particular, in order to achieve the objectives of the project, ESN Italy has committed to guarantee a week of training to its volunteers through workshops held by experts in the field and project works.

 

During the week, the volunteers had the opportunity to approach topics that are mostly little known, to discuss, reflect, and work together, while learning "best practices" that will be applied in the Sections, and most importantly, to learn by direct experiences in the field, as in the case of the visit to the non-profit organization ASINITAS, an intercultural centre receiving migrant people.

 

In addition, thanks to the help of experienced trainers, the participants were helped and supported in the "second phase" of the project, which is the organisation of three local events aimed at raising the awareness of Erasmus students and young people on mobility on the said issues. 

 

The sections of ESN involved in this new challenge are Brescia, Chieti Pescara, Macerata, Naples, and Pisa. 

 

The volunteers from ESN Pisa were the first to start, having held "A coffee with ESN Pisa: migrACTION", which consisted of a conference aimed at stimulating a debate on the subject, in collaboration with Amnesty Pisa, Emergency Pisa, the University of Pisa and the School of Advanced Studies Sant'Anna. The conference, held in a university hall, was broadcast live and accompanied by refreshments. 

 

This was followed by the ESN Macerata conference, "Conference: Migration, University and Volunteering. ESN as a bridge to social integration.", among the guests were Chiara Ferrari (Training and Activities Manager for ESN Italy), Benedetta Giovanola (pro-rector of the University of Macerata), Eleonora Santoni and Anna Paola Fabri (Polo9, a regional social cooperative society) and ACSIM (Immigrant Service Centre Association) Macerata. At the end of the conference, a buffet followed. 

 

ESN Brescia and ESN Napoli held their first SAMISI event on the 31st of May. Brescia has opted for a "MEET & SPEAK: Immigration and social inclusion", which consisted of a linguistic aperitif with a special modality: immigration and social inclusion have been discussed this time. The event was organised in collaboration with AEGEE-Brescia. 

 

As a first event, ESN Napoli has organised an "International Aperitif and Cultural Activities", as the first part of a path called"MEETgration: where Erasmus+ meets Migration issues". The event is conceived as a meeting between young people on mobility in Naples and migration issues, as if it were a chat at the pub between friends in a safe environment, aimed at stimulating dialogue through activities such as "cultural dates" and the"blind game", and to get more in touch with different cultures through the taste of ethnic dishes such as Couscous with vegetables, Hummus and Pita, accompanied by Karkadè, an ethnic red tea.  

 

 

Francesca Pezzella

Milena Faccenda

 

Translation by Alan Di Francesco