Top picks from Raccords and our guests

Guests of this 12th issue of Raccords – Laura Batalla Adam, Marianny Pacheco, Nadja Pollaert and Dina Souleiman – share their preferred resources to help us deepen our understanding of the migrant reality.

Suggested reading on migratory issues

Roots Guide Guidebook
Laura Batalla Adam recommends this atypical travel guide as her top pick. Created by Hellopreneur Ingi Mehus, the guidebook invites us to discover the Netherlands through activities and tours recommended by people of migrant backgrounds. Through their rich personal stories, these contributors welcome us into their daily lives, showing us this country in all its diversity and spurring reflection on the lack of inclusiveness in the travel narrative.
Report: Humans at the center: How social entrepreneurs of a migrant background are making a difference
Laura recommends reading this report, which was co-authored by the ESADE Entrepreneurship Institute and Hello Europe. It posits that people of migrant backgrounds can use their singular experiences and perspectives to create social entrepreneurial solutions that open up opportunities for migrants and their host communities. The authors make practical recommendations for supporting such initiatives in both the private and public sectors.
The R4V platform
Marianny Pacheco describes the Inter-agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants From Venezuela (R4V) as a comprehensive tool for understanding the magnitude of the migratory flow of Venezuelan peoples over the last few years. Recent statistics show that more than six million people have left Venezuela to seek asylum in neighbouring Latin American and Caribbean countries. How can the largest migratory movement in the region’s history be managed? The R4V site lists an array of resources.
The book “Congo: An Epic History of a People” by David Van Reybrouck (HarperCollins)
Nadja Pollaert considers this historical non-fiction book required reading to understand the gravity of the issues facing countless people who are forced to leave their country. In a narrative interwoven with the testimonials of Congolese men and women, historical archives, and the author’s own impressions of this vast country, the book exposes the deep roots of the conflicts in Congo and the responsibility of European countries that have contributed to a violence-based political culture, polarizing the population and paving the way for forced migration.
The book “What is a Refugee?” by Élise Gravel, published by Penguin Random House Canada
Dina Souleiman of the Welcome Collective shares a Quebec top pick: a children’s picture book that explains in simple terms the complex situation of refugees. Known for books that debunk stereotypes, the author endeavours to help young and old alike understand the realities of our world today.

Read the other sections of this issue

THE EDITORIAL

Taking Action: How to Transform the Reality of Migrants?

Did you know that there are more than 100 million displaced persons or refugees around the world today, fleeing armed conflicts, famine, and the impacts of climate change? A dramatic increase, and likely to worsen, predicts… Read more

THE PODCAST

Le balado de Raccords 12 : Quand les contradictions d'un système appellent au plaidoyer

When the contradictions of a system call for advocacy

In this episode of the Raccords podcast, we talk with Nadja Pollaert, executive director of Doctors of the World Canada. She describes how her team is mobilizing to provide access to healthcare for vulnerable populations. Listen to the podcast

THE INTERVIEW

Raccords 12 : Placer les personnes migrantes au cœur de la transformation des systèmes migratoires - Une discussion avec Hello Europe et Hola América

Putting immigrants at the heart of the transformation of immigration systems

What if migratory movements were not the permanent crisis of our time, but instead an opportunity to build communities that are more inclusive, resilient, and supportive? Raccords recently had the opportunity to speak with Laura Batalla Adam and Marianny Pacheco about the initiatives of Hello Europe and Hola América. Read the interview

THE VIDEO

Raccords 12 : Un pont pour surmonter les failles d’une terre d’accueil

Bridging the Gaps In a Host Country’s System

How to help vulnerable, marginalized and often invisible persons who have fled their homes and a harrowing past in the hope of building a better life here in Quebec? Raccords met Dina Souleiman, executive director of Welcome Collective. View the video

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