Loving Difficulty! Every No, Every Obstacle is an Opportunity.....

World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD); organized the "Workshop on Current Situation of Refugee And Migrant Entrepreneurship, Problems Encountered In The Field, Solution Proposals And Determining New Areas For Cooperation" on 29 November 2022 in cooperation with Pendik District Governorship and Ashley Community Housing (ACH).

The opening session of the workshop, attended by representatives of many local and international institutions, was made by Pendik District Governor Dr. Hülya Kaya and WALD Chairman of the Executive Board Dr. Mehmet Duman. Pendik District Governor Dr. Hülya Kaya stated that: “While entrepreneurship facilitates the social cohesion of refugees and immigrants, it also contributes to the development of the economy of the host community.” She added that they aim to create an inclusive, effective, accessible and sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem in migrant entrepreneurship.

WALD Chairman of the Executive Board Dr. Mehmet Duman in his speech expressed that “It will contribute to the well-being and harmony of all individuals in order to leave the humanitarian aid dimension and provide refugees with equal and fair access to livelihood, and to make strong and sustainable systems prevail.”. Dr. Duman emphasized that the participation of refugees in the local economy will play an active role in the economic development of the countries they are in and in the strengthening of production mechanisms.

The workshop moderated by the Human Development Foundation (INGEV) Communications and Foreign Relations Director Berk Çoker, continued with the participation and contribution of the representatives of ILO, UNDP, TEPAV, Building Markets, HABİTAT, Erguvan Association, Asylum and Migration Research Center (IGAM), ASSIAD Arab Industry and Businessmen Association, TÜRKKONFED, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality, who made presentations and shared their experiences in the field. 

The main theme of the workshop was that refugees and migrants are seen as an added value with their knowledge, experience and culture rather than being a burden on the countries they seek refuge in or migrate to. For this purpose, the obstacles in front of refugee entrepreneurship in the dimension of local development and sustainable solution proposals were discussed from different perspectives with a wide audience.