With the launch of the Destination Unknown campaign, a learning process has also begun. This became obvious at the second meeting of all the organisations involved. They all agreed: only united can something be achieved and young people must be more involved.
Sylvia Valentin, responsible for development policy campaigns
The members of Destination Unknown met in March for the second time since the launch of the campaign in 2011, which is run by the International Federation Terre des Hommes to protect young migrants. During the three-day meeting, around 40 participants from all over the world shared their experiences. They had very different backgrounds. They included, for example, Najat Maalla Mjid, former UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, the Campaign Coordinator for Southeast Asia, and a young person from Liberia who is an Unaccompanied Minor asylum seeker in Morocco and is being looked after by Terre des hommes.
Unity in diversity
As varied as the participants were, they agreed on many things: migration faces many challenges that require different solutions. For example, the lively discussions, presentations and workshops increasingly focused on "Children on the move" rather than "Children and young people in the context of migration". This (somewhat bumpy) expression also includes, for example, those children and young people who are left behind alone because their parents have migrated in search of a livelihood.
Migration will not simply stop Networked solutions will have to
The participants also made it clear that migration is a worldwide phenomenon that will not simply stop. The development of increasing mobility cannot be stopped by raising walls and closing borders. Networked solutions are needed. This was emphasised not only by representatives of small organisations from the Mediterranean countries of Greece, Malta and Cyprus. Even for larger organisations such as Terre des hommes Germany or the Netherlands it is clear that we are all small players on the global stage. United in the Destination Unknown campaign, however, we achieve a respectable influence.
Easier to reach out to peers
A highlight of the meeting was the participation of young people from Africa, Asia and Europe. The young people stressed the importance of sharing and working together. It is easier for young people to turn to their peers even in difficult situations. Adults often have no idea what is really going on. The young people, some of whom already have a wealth of experience in project work themselves, were the best proof that working with them as a target group is the right choice.
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Video of the Destination Unknown meeting:
