We are honored to have been invited and to attend and cover the 5th Conference of the Netzwerk Fluchtforschung, which kicked off on the 16th of September in the beautiful Bonn University hall. From September 16th to 18th, over 350 participants, including academics, experts, refugees, and individuals with migration backgrounds, have gathered from around the world to discuss and exchange ideas on the critical topics of migration and displacement.
The opening ceremony was an inspiring start to the conference, with 40 researchers present—many of whom have lived experience of fleeing conflict and are navigating precarious employment situations. It was a privilege to listen to the keynote address by Prof. Dr. Tamirace Fakhoury from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, who shared her deep insights into migration and refugee issues.
The evening concluded with a wonderful reception at the Rathaus Bonn, where meaningful conversations and connections continued in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
This important conference is made possible through cooperation with the Refugee Research Network, the joint project “Refugee and Refugee Research: Networking and Transfer,” and the European Coalition of Migrants and Refugees (EU COMAR), with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Local organization is being led by the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC), with support from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bonn, IDOS, and the Bonn Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Learning (BIM e.V.).
I’m excited to participate in the panels, roundtables, and workshops over the next two days and to contribute to these crucial conversations. Looking forward to sharing more insights soon!