Diaspora Engagement

IOM defines diasporas as “migrants or descendants of migrants, whose identity and sense of belonging have been shaped by their migration experience and background. They maintain links with their homelands, and to each other, based on a shared sense of history, identity, or mutual experiences in the destination country.” IOM’s Diaspora Engagement strategy is centred on three actions: to enable, engage and empower transnational communities, involving interventions by governments and other stakeholders, supported by IOM through policy advice and programming.

In missions across the globe, IOM conducts diaspora surveys and mappings, develops capacity building activities, implements outreach initiatives, and develops skills and knowledge transfer programmes.

Diaspora Engagement in Germany

In line with IOM’s Diaspora Engagement strategy, IOM Germany engages diasporas representing diverse cultures and identities across Germany. Through research activities like diaspora mappings, expert interviews and focus group discussions, IOM Germany grows its understanding of diasporas’ potential as agents of positive change in development and social cohesion in Germany and countries of origin, while gaining increased awareness of the common challenges that diaspora members face.

IOM Germany learns from its diaspora network and implements outreach activities, including jointly implementing events and the biannual IOM German Diaspora Newsletter — a platform for diaspora organizations to share their work with a wide audience. Regular meetings with our diaspora partners allow IOM Germany to keep up to date with diaspora news and continuously identify synergies for joint programming.

We are always happy to connect with new diaspora partners! If you would like to get involved with IOM Germany’s diaspora engagement, please contact us at: iomdeoutreach@iom.int