Continuing our work on the World Humanitarian Summit research process, our first event of the year was a UK-wide Diaspora consultation addressing the four themes of the World Humanitarian Summit. We looked in detail at humanitarian effectiveness, reducing vulnerability and managing risk, transformation through innovation and serving the needs of people in conflict, all the while assessing the role of diaspora in humanitarian responses.
The event, which took place at Europe House in London was organised in partnership with Muslim Charities Forum, The African Foundation for Development and the Diaspora Volunteering Alliance. The consultation is one of a series taking place around the world in the run up to the summit in 2016 in Istanbul.
Our speakers at the event included:
Randolph Kent – Director of the Planning from the Futures Project, Chair of World Humanitarian Summit online forum on ‘Europe and Others’
Abdurahman Sharif – Executive Director at Muslim Charities Forum
Paul Asquith – Engagement & Policy Manager at AFFORDUK
Evelyn Rodrigues – Director of Diaspora Volunteering Alliance
Joana Cruz-Schilling – European Commission Representation to the UK
Linda McAvan MEP – Chair of International Development Committee
Celia Cranfield – VOICE (Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies)
Jacqueline Minor – European Commission Representation to the UK
This diaspora-specific consultation brought together the voices of 67 participants from diaspora groups hailing from countries around the world including Eritrea, Iraq, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Syria and Uganda.
Our special thanks go to Linda McAvan MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s International Development Committee and Jacqueline Minor, Head of Representation of the European Commission in the UK, who both encouraged diaspora groups to play a stronger role in global humanitarian work and gave supportive messages to those present about the EU engagement with diaspora groups.
We have compiled a report detailing the discussions at the event and passed it on to UN OCHA. We have also made the report available on request. Please contact naima[at]humanitarianforum[dot] org to request your copy.
