Metropolis Asia Launches Website
Metropolis Asia is now online! The website www.metropolisasia.org, recently launched by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), was created in collaboration with the other members of the Metropolis Asia Secretariat namely the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines and the IOM Migration Research and Training Centre Korea (IOM-MRTC-Korea).
As the Asia-Pacific arm of Metropolis International, Metropolis Asia is directed towards the development of strategic responses to the effects of international migration and capacity building of its partners in the Region via information and data sharing. This purpose is expected to be achieved through the establishment of a virtual research network that gathers key resources (government, private sector, academe and civil society organizations engaged/involved in migration and development) in which one of the primary channels would be the website.
The Metropolis Asia Secretariat intends to support and encourage coordination and cooperation between Metropolis Asia and Metropolis International, and among all the other Metropolis Secretariats (Netherlands and Canada), Metropolis International Steering Committee and the rest of the member-institutions and individuals of the network. Its objectives include: establishing a framework for dialogue and cooperation among relevant national and international institutions in Asia/among academe, government, civil society, research and international organizations vis-à-vis international migration; serving as a regional clearinghouse and venue for planning both on a short-term and long-term basis migration researches, policy studies and program/projects resulting from studies; developing best practice models in action-research; and linking research and policy at the local, national, regional and international levels.
In the meantime, the International Metropolis Project (www.metropolis.net) in the decade since its inception has grown to an international network of researchers, policy makers and community groups, engaged in identifying, understanding, and responding to the developments in migration and diversity, across North America and Europe as well as in Africa, Latin America and now in the Asia-Pacific region.
Its international conferences are the largest annual gathering of experts in the fields of migration and diversity. Conferences have been held in Bonn, Copenhagen, Geneva, Lisbon, Melbourne, Milan, Oslo, Rotterdam, Toronto, Vancouver, Vienna, Washington DC, Zichron Yaacov, The Hague and Ponta Delgada.
Efforts of the International Metropolis Project are now coordinated by 3 Secretariats: for the Americas (located in Ottawa), for Europe (located in Amsterdam) and Asia Pacific (located in Manila and Seoul) and through the biannual meetings of the International Steering Committee.
For any inquiries about this press release, please contact: Commission on Filipinos Overseas Chairperson, cabinet-level Secretary Imelda Nicolas of the Office of the President of the Philippines, www.cfo.gov.ph, contact numbers (632)552-4701 and (632)552-4704, email address: Imelda.nicolas@cfo.gov.ph and imn103@aol.com.