Global Diaspora Day-2016

WARBE Development Foundation observed the “Global Diaspora Day-2016” with a discussion meeting at its central office in Dhaka on 23 June, 2016, participated by the members of Bangladesh National Migrants Rights NGO Network, Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF), and representatives from Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and members of WARBE. The goal of the Global Diaspora Day is to ensure the engagement of Diaspora and migrants as entrepreneurs, social investors, policy advocates and partners in human development, while simultaneously combating the xenophobic attitudes towards these groups within society.

A Diaspora is a group of people who live outside the homeland, and where they have lived for a long time. They are a movement, a migration or a “scattering of people” known as “overseas communities”. Often, a Diaspora is formed on a solidarity kinship bond of culture and social cohesion. With the increase in global migration, including irregular migration, as well as floundering migration management policies, there has been a concurrent increase in suspicion and fear among the citizens and governments of receiving countries, often translating into increased xenophobia and discrimination towards migrants and Diaspora communities. In the face of this misplaced negativity and fear, there is now, more than ever, the need to find creative ways to provide exposure to Diaspora and migrants’ contributions to development.

In this event SDC, WARBE DF, and other network members express their pleasure with their relationship built on passion, knowledge, friendship, and years of history and experience together. Shabari Nath Nair, Regional Program Head, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE DF, Md. Faruque Ahmed, Secretary General, WARBE DF, Ms. Jasiya Khatoon, Director, WARBE DF, MD. Nazmul Ahsan, President, Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF), and other members of Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF), and WARBE Development Foundation were present in this discussion.