Global awareness of the tragedies of irregular migrants in the Mediterranean basin with specific emphasis on Syrian asylum seekers
20 November 2015 to 23 November 2015
Overview
The situation of refugees and irregular migrants crossing from the Middle East and Africa to Europe is of major concern to the international community. As the winter approaches, the conditions facing these vulnerable people will only worsen. Regrettably, the tragic situation in the Mediterranean is pall of a larger global humanitarian and refugee crisis. This global crisis is of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War, as 60 million people, half of them children, have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict and violence. It is clear that no country or region can address the current global crisis on its own. At the same time, the humanitarian system is under strain and cannot keep pace with growing needs and challenges. There is an urgent need to comprehensively address the global humanitarian and refugee crisis. In this regard, this plenary meeting provides a unique opportunity to address not only the plight of the vulnerable people in the Mediterranean basin, but also to reflect on our collective response to the global crisis.