São Paulo, November 12, 2019 – The regional meeting of the migrant shelters and Scalabrinian Centers in Latin America, supported by the Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN) was held in São Paulo, Brazil from November 3 to November 6, 2019. Fifty-five representatives of different Shelters and/or Centers for Migrants of Mexico, Central, and South America participated at the meeting.

The main objective was to articulate a space for discussion of good practices and challenges to strengthen institutional capacities and contribute proactively and creatively with advocacy actions on migration at local, regional, and international levels.

The purpose of the event was to promote dialogue and experience at the local and regional level of each of the Migrant Shelters and Scalabrinian Centers in Latin America considering the participation of the priests who lead the missions and the lay administrators or coordinators.

Some of the subjects the participants considered during the three-day meeting were the regional context of migration and protection challenges for human mobility in Latin America, the strategic areas such as socio-labor insertion, climate change, advocacy actions and institutional capacity strengthening which includes the designing of the strategic framework 2019-2023.

In addition, the representatives of the network had the opportunity to share with a diverse group of migrants from Congo, Angola, Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia. They listened to their migration experiences and their integration process and challenges into the Brazilian society, with the support of the Scalabrinian Mission in Sao Paulo, Missão Paz.