In the evening of 16th of January, migrants, refuuges and people living or residing or just passing by Budapest, gathered in Kisüzem café to attend a round table whose topic was migration and its challenges. ...But why was this event - organised by Artemisszió Foundation - important? The Hungarian society has been hearing a lot lately about this topic, but now a round table was organised to get to know the human face of this issue.
I had the chance to arrive a bit sooner to Kisüzem, an hour before the event and could watch the people arrive. Hungarians and foreigners came and came until the this small café in the 7th district was completely packed.
Then we begin the talk. The people, strangers to each other, shared a common interest in listening to the invited people: we heard not only about their motivation to leave, about the current situation in their country, their opinions about the current political situation in Hungary, but about their motivation to come to Hungary, their expectations, their difficulties here, their daily activities and everyday life, how they see the Hungarian, about their dreams in life, and their plans for the future.
Almost as it was a personal encounter, we felt getting to know from little to more the people, by the help of Ramin, our conferancier.
After the the round table, questions were asked by the public. In a calm and friendly athmosphere different opinions could be heard: people in different life situations could share their different thougths and experiences. A deeper understanding and a more human perception of this very current topic was anticipated grace to the diverse opinions present in the group: we could get to know the conflictual tensions related to the topic, as well.
So, then I may ask: what have we learned from this? I would say, not only specific pieces of information about specific people, but a general view of humans all around the world. About the human nature, that is seeking in every situation, and all over the world: a place of possibilities. Possibilities for connecting to other people, to find friends and soon-to-be family members, find a place where their professional and creative skills and ideas can flourish and be realised.
Emma Magyar
Photos by Zsófi Péntek
Participants of the discussion were Ramin Shamsi, Akileo Manhim, Maan Obed, Mayougou Kouroupara, Ariunsanaa Bataar, Juhász Kinga and Dao Phuong.
Az eseményre a „Magyar civilek a globális szegénység ellen – a HAND Szövetség kampánya a Fejlesztés Európai Évében” c. projekt keretén belül kerül sor.
A projekt az Európai Bizottság és a Külgazdasági és Külügyminisztérium finanszírozásával valósult meg. / The project is financed by the European Commission and the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
