Breaking Boundaries: A Mercy Response to People on the Move Issue Spotlight #4 - Contributions of Migrants

International Migrants Day is commemorated annually on the 18th of December to acknowledge the contributions of migrants and migration to all of our societies. This year, Mercy Global Action is pleased to celebrate our new publication, ‘Breaking Boundaries: A Mercy Response to People on the Move,’ which features the stories and experiences of Mercy's work with migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers around the world.

What resonates clearly throughout the examination of the work of the Mercy World with and for people on the move is how much people recognize and appreciate the gift of working with migrants and refugees. The positive impacts of migration for both host and origin communities, as well as for migrants and refugees themselves, are well-documented.

Migrant workers stimulate economic growth by bringing their skills and knowledge to fill labor shortages in countries of destination as well as by sharing new ideas and ways of thinking, contributing to innovation and entrepreneurship. They also make significant economic contributions to their countries and communities of origin through remittances - transfers of money that are often used to meet the basic needs of families and communities.

Refugees and migrants share new foods, music, habits, traditions, and beliefs with their new neighbors. Beyond that, migrants and refugees are resilient, creative, and hopeful – they have undertaken challenging journeys to build better lives, not only for themselves, but for their children and their communities.

People on the move play diverse sociocultural, civic-political, and economic roles in both their origin and destination countries: as workers, students, entrepreneurs, family members, artists, and much more. They contribute not only to the vibrancy and richness of their communities but also to the individual lives of people in the Mercy World. 

What are we being called to?

Join the Mercy Global Action office at our International Migrant’s Day event, which will take place virtually on Thursday, 15 December, at 4:00-6:00 PM New York time (check your time zone here). This event will feature the stories, experiences, and expertise of Mercy women around the world who contributed to this new publication, and will offer an opportunity to reflect on, learn from, and celebrate Mercy's engagement with people on the move. Please register at bit.ly/BreakingBoundariesZoom.

Reflect on the ways that migrants & refugees enrich your life. What products do you use, what cuisines and music do you enjoy, and what relationships do you have that are thanks to migrants and refugees?

Advocate for policies that enable migrants to contribute fully to the social, economic, and political lives of your country/community.

Spread the word across your own social media platforms by sharing Breaking Boundaries: A Mercy Response to People on the Move and Mercy Global Action’s infographic on Supporting Migrants at Borders and in Detention. Please engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.