Global Migration Film Festival and International Migrants Day Celebration in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cinema and Migration. It’s a magical bond that began over a century ago when filmmakers, many of whom were immigrants themselves, began making movies about a world on the move. Their films brought the dramatic, poignant and comic stories of migrants to diverse audiences, through a language of images and emotions that were meaningful to every culture.

The Global Migration Film Festival was launched in 2016 by the UN Migration Agency (IOM) in this spirit. The festival features new films that capture the promise and challenges of migration for those who leave their homes in search of a better life and the unique contributions migrants make to their new communities.

IOM’s first Global Migration Film Festival in 2016 took place in 89 countries. Some 10,000 people attended 220 screenings at cinemas, universities, cultural institutions and other venues. The festival hosted 13 feature films and documentaries and nearly 200 short films about and by migrants, as well as dozens of post-screening discussions and side-events.

Global Migration Film Festival 2016 in Kino Meeting Point, Sarajevo

This year, IOM Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina is organizing film screenings and panel discussions in Jablanica (14^th December) and Sarajevo (18^th December).

Current migration situation in the Western Balkans following the closure of the Western Balkan route

In Sarajevo on 18^th December, focus will be put on the challenges of migrants during arduous journeys to reach Western Europe, both at the height of the so-called migration crisis, and since the closure of the Western Balkan route. 

The documentaries “The Journey” and “To Kyma”, as well as an IOM produced short documentary will be screened followed by a panel discussion on the current migration situation in the Western Balkans focusing on the vulnerabilities of migrants on the move.

The panel will moderated by Ika Ferrer and include:

• Peter Van der Auweraert, IOM Chief of Mission and Sub-regional Coordinator for the Western Balkans;
• Ariana Bečirović, Deputy Head of Department for Readmission, Service for Foreigners’ Affairs;
• Dijana Ridić, Psychologist/Psychotherapist, Association for Psychological Evaluation, Assistance and Counselling Domino/IOM Mobile Teams;
• Amela Efendic, Bosnia and Herzegovina representative and chief of International Forum of Solidarity-Emmaus Sarajevo

The Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth: Unemployment and Labour migration

In Jablanica, on 14^th December, IOM, together with the Youth Club “Under the Sun”, is highlighting the implications of the recent years’ higher rate of out-migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Western Europe, especially among the youth.

On this topic, IOM is showing the film “In Search of the Ryal” about Nepali migrant workers and their struggles in Qatar. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion addressing the situation of the youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina related to unemployment, labour migration, and the role of the BiH diaspora.  The panel discussion will be moderated by Ika Ferrer and panelist will include:

• Peter Van der Auweraert, IOM Chief of Mission and Sub-regional Coordinator for the Western Balkans TBC;
• Terzić Husein, Agency for Labour and Employment;
• Alma Sunje, Labour Mobility and Human Development, IOM Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Youth representative TBC.