Istanbul, capital of cultures

Meeting mobility challenges by managing diversity

The central position of Istanbul in Turkey has resulted in attracting  migrants from far and wide and all in search of the economic, cultural, and social opportunities as well as from other parts of Turkey and the picture grows more complex with returns of Turkish migrants from abroad.
Although the number of foreigners living in Istanbul has increased in last decades, there is little information on their potentials, transnational ties and their contributions to the society and so far the international migration has only been associated with problems. However, the orientation toward problems has been concealing the potentials and possibilities of diversity, multiculturalism and trans-nationalism for social, cultural and economic development, innovation as well as value creation.
The project thus aims to identify what these potentials and possibilities may be, and means to utilize them further in the best way through conducting researches, organizations of an international symposium on diversity management and a migration festival as well as regular meetings bringing migrant and local communities together. The project also has established, for the first time, a high level of cooperation between project partners, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Union of Marmara Municipalities.

Location:

Istanbul, Turkey

Policy/practice area:

Cultural integration

Keywords:

Culture and diversity, Empowerment, Governance, Human rights and law, Intercultural outreach, Return Migration, Highly Skilled Migrants

Integration Practitioner:

International Organization, Regional Organization or UN agency

Name of Organization:

International Organization for Migration

Website:

http://www.turkey.iom.int/

Contact Information:

Birlik Mahallesi 2.Cadde No: 11 06610 Cankaya Ankara, Turkey
Kamer Hatun Mahallesi Hamalbasi Caddesi No: 22/8 Beyoglu Istanbul, Turkey
Phone: +90 212 293 5000
Email: iomistanbul@iom.int

Other stakeholders involved in this practice:

• Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
• Union of Municipalities of Marmara Region