CDRSEE at Ethnobarometer workshop in Istanbul, Turkey

27-28 October 2008

Ethnobarometer, an independent, international research network of social scientists and experts providing reports on contemporary European inter-ethnic relations, migration flows and integration, invited CDRSEE to take part in the first workshop of its project “Minorities, regional stability and security in Southeast Europe” in Istanbul.

The objective of the project is to promote an informal network of researchers working on minority issues in their respective countries, to monitor and produce periodical reports on developments that influence the status of minorities, including government policies and practice, and external factors (these would include EU policies) and attempt a comparative analysis encompassing the whole region in order to evaluate how situations in one country can influence situations in other countries, in view also of identifying best practices.

Corinna Noack-Aetopulos, in her capacity as Director of Programmes at the CDRSEE, was invited to speak and participate in this event on 27-28 October. She shared her knowledge and experience on the field, specifically through a presentation of the findings and results of “Employed, Empowered”, a CDRSEE project aiming at the reintegration of Refugees, IDPs and Returnees in Serbia. Specifically, she discussed attitudes of refugees and IDPs in Serbia towards return to their places of origin, and how a lack of trust into the rule of law influences the decision of migrants to return to places where they would belong to a minority group.