Migrant Voices on the New EU Pact: Challenging Colonial Narratives

On 10 April 2025, Samer Arkawi hosted a community assembly at the Info Office space, bringing together members of the local migrant community to discuss the upcoming European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is set to take effect in 2026. The gathering aimed to unpack the legal and practical implications of the new framework, particularly focusing on changes to asylum rights and the prospects for migrant access to employment.

The assembly was grounded in the principle of the autonomy of migration. This concept foregrounds the lived experiences of migrants and refugees as the central narrative in discussions on migration. This principle critically challenges the colonial legacies that shape how migration knowledge is produced. It raises important ethical questions around partnerships in knowledge production versus extractive research practices, authorship and academic power dynamics versus the romanticisation of migration by researchers, and colonial approaches in academia versus ethical collaboration with migration experts.

The assembly highlighted the need for ethical, migrant-centred approaches to migration policy and research, challenging colonial narratives and promoting genuine collaboration on local inclusion strategies.

Arkawi is a PhD student at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana.

The event was held in Arabic as part of the project EMV-LII.

Photo: Assembly at the Info Office (KDG)