From the Sea to the City
„A consortium of civil society organizations for a welcoming Europe“
The From the Sea to the City Consortium aims to join forces to reimagine the European stance on migration with municipalities and human rights at the center. With this vision we want to send a strong signal to European institutions that a welcoming and human-rights based migration and refugee policy is not only possible nor an option, but an obligation.
While the EU and its Member States double down on migration deterrence at any cost, municipalities became the agents of change for a solidary Europe, taking responsibility for protecting human lives. Welcoming municipalities all over the continent face significant political challenges.
With the aim to advocate for an active role of local governments and administrations in European migration and asylum policy, From the Sea to the City work to increase the visibility of welcoming municipalities at EU level, encourage other local governments to take action, while continuing to find synergies and collaborate with further actors, such as other networks and CSOs. The joint advocacy work between our consortium and the International Alliance of Safe Harbours (IASH) has the added value of a transnational network of municipal governments and civil society represented by organizations and activists with expertise in the migration domain and the current situation on the ground in and around Europe.
What is the International Alliance of Safe Harbours?
On 25-26 June 2021, in cooperation with the cities of Potsdam and Palermo, ‘From the Sea to the City: a city conference for a welcoming Europe’ brought together European mayors, city representatives and civil society actors from all over Europe. A statement advocating for humanitarian corridors and safe pathways was signed at the occasion and formalized the foundation of the first European alliance working on the protection of migrants: IASH. Local governments assembling transnationally represent a powerful political voice, capable of reorganizing migration policy-making, by joining their national states at supranational and international decision-making fora.
From the Sea to the City builds up from the 2018 created Palermo Charter Process Platform (PCPP) a broad activists platform, inspired by the freedom of international mobility of migrants declared in the Palermo Charter in 2015.
Would you like to become part of our network or have more information about our future endeavours? Get in touch! coordination@fromseatocity.eu