ENGELBERG DIALOGUES 2018: Unlimited Migration?
The pros and cons of migration are a point of contention in Europe at the moment. For some immigration is seen as a source of economic prosperity and a promising solution to the problems linked to an ageing population. For others, however, migration implies social tourism and welfare loss.
And still others fear that immigration will cost them their jobs and threaten their cultural identity leading to revolt as evidenced by the Brexit vote. In this context, the question then arises as to whether immigration should be controlled and, if so, by what means.
In an attempt to find new paths out of the dense undergrowth of conflicting arguments and positions, the Academia Engelberg Foundation was hosting the «ENGELBERG DIALOGUES 2018» on Migration from 14 to 17 October 2018 in Engelberg, Switzerland.
The aim of the Dialogues was to provide a platform for an international audience of academics, businesspeople and policymakers to grapple with the various viewpoints and perspectives in regard to migration.
The «ENGELBERG DIALOGUES 2018» was held in English and be composed of three elements:
1. A two-day Autumn Academy for young researchers (i.e., graduate students and postdocs) from different academic fields and countries,
2. A half-day Workshop, in which academics, businesspeople, policymakers and an interested public are invited to share their views in a lively discourse,
3. A one-day Forum, in which the findings from the previous days and the inputs from an international keynote speaker and a panel of renowned experts will be further developed.
The results and findings of the «ENGELBERG DIALOGUES 2018» was intended to provide a lasting contribution to the ongoing migration debate.
The program of the Dialogues also included a panel discussion conducted in German on the demographics of the Engelberg Valley which aims to link the work of the Academia Engelberg with the local region.
The public discourse and interaction that the «ENGELBERG DIALOGUES 2018» provided, offer a creative environment and an ideal platform for forging new contacts and fostering intergenerational exchange.