Today is International Migrants Day. After spending the past year and a half making our documentary ‘Hostile’, about the impact of immigration policy on our migrant communities, we want to use this opportunity to reflect. We have a deep appreciation for all the organisations and incredible individuals worldwide who are working tirelessly to ensure that the people that make long, treacherous journeys to find peace and stability can do so, and we want to send a message to migrants coming to our country that they are welcome.
International Migrants Day commemorates the day on 18 December 1990, when the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The theme this year is harnessing the potential of human mobility.
Behind the fearmongering and scapegoating, this is a message of positivity, unity, and prosperity – a vision of the future that is possible for those who are willing to commit to it. At this time of the year, when all our families hope to reunite, it is a message we should all fully embrace and aspire to.
We want to say a heartfelt thanks to the UN and the International Organisation of Migrants for raising awareness of this issue, and for working to promote safe and humane migration around the world.