2nd Roundtable of Foreigners: Goals of Integration

Four presenters gave an overview of the basic concepts of integration to particular examples of integration services in other European countries and integration efforts existent in the city of Bratislava. After the first part of the event, fifteen participants shared their ideas and suggestion for effective integration to the city of Bratislava. The HRL's team divided the attendees by groups and assigned them with 3 different questions about their integration in Bratislava. Finally, the meeting wrapped up with the participants' presentations of the following recommendations:

1.     What can the foreigners do to make themselves more visible to the municipality?

* Five recommendations:

• Sports tournaments (diverse team)
• Music Festival - in conjunction with Tanečný Dom or Nitra Uni, ethnomusicologist, etc.
• Talent Exchange Programs (language, cooking, etc.)
• Cleaning street or other type of volunteering
• Make an official group for foreigners, something more formal with badges
• Publicity via press, radio, etc.

2.     What can the foreigners expect from the municipality in terms of assistance for language acquisition?

*Five recommendations:

• Gathering information about available resources or classes, and make them available to foreigners (in English)
• Create a website that resembles other newcomers welcoming platforms like “Start Wien” in Vienna, Austria
• Sponsors, subsidize language classes for newcomers
• English classes for public administration workers
• Coordination program with a list of volunteers who would be open to meet, exchange and help newcomers to communicate in Slovak.

3.     What kind of services could be beneficial for foreigners from the municipality?

 *Three recommendations for services for newcomers:

Services:

• Package of resources upon arrival (listed in one place)
• Step-by-step guide
• Organize gatherings for foreigners with foreigners (exchange of food, art language or informal presentation of cultures)

Physical resource for the integration process:

• Helpline (in English)/App

*Three recommendations for services for foreigners who have lived in Bratislava for longer:

• Assistance with housing
• Employment advice/ Continued support (more Foreign-friendly job portal)
• More foreigners space to share their experience (Survival guide, etc.)