This year’s last public dialogue focused on migration and carried a slightly provocative title (a pun in Slovak): “Are we GRANDs towards miGRANTs?”. It took place on 28 November at 19:00 at our usual venue, the U Francúza Jazz Club.
The aim of the dialogue was an open discussion about migration, how it is perceived – and often misused – in our society. We focused on the phenomenon of migration polarisation, shared personal stories and experiences, and tried to answer a key question: Is the way we treat the “foreign” a mirror of our best selves?
The dialogue was joined by distinguished guests with extensive experience in migration:
Our musical guest was Soňa Kmet, who opened the meeting with a song she wrote during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The discussion showed that personal experience of migration shapes our attitudes – people who have experienced hospitality abroad tend to show more solidarity towards migrants in their own country. However, solidarity and generosity should not be driven only by self-interest, but should be a natural part of social awareness.
We also discussed the role of local government and the third sector in addressing migration challenges. Local government can connect stakeholders for more effective cooperation, and the third sector plays an irreplaceable role in targeted help and in supporting volunteering.
Closing reflection: During a song, we reflected on what we ourselves can do to ease polarisation around us, at work or in our families. Each participant wrote their commitment on a piece of paper and kept it – as a reminder that reconciliation and understanding start with us.
This is not the end of our dialogues! Next year we will meet again around topics that divide our society and take a closer look at depolarisation methods we can apply in our personal and professional lives.
We thank all participants for their support and the U Francúza Jazz Club for the space it has provided us for 5 years. We are glad we can help ease tensions and build dialogue in our society.
We wish you happy holidays – free of tension and arguments. And if one does start brewing, may you handle it with inner calm and practise constructive dialogue with your loved ones too. 🎄✨