30.03.2023, Thursday, 9:00–17:00
Sobieski Saal, Polnische Akademie der Wissenschaften – Wissenschaftliches Zentrum, Boerhaavegasse 25, 1030 Wien
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
The 20th century was a period of evacuation, escape, expulsion, wandering and planned resettlement of population, and all due to wars, economic crises and political changes, such as the collapse of empires. It was also the period when the legal foundations establishing international war refugees status were laid (Geneva Convention, 1951). Previously, refugee issues were governed by common law, precedent, and ad hoc legal solutions. In the recent years, there have been numerous migration crises in Europe (2011, 2015, 2021). The war in Ukraine, which has been going on since February 2022, had yet again brought to the forfront the challenge connected with refugee reception (e.g. securing provisions, providing accommodation and medical assistance, cultural integration, access to the labor market and social services).
The aim of the conference was to compare refugee crises that have occurred in the past, especially analyse ways of managing and solving these crises such as organizing institutionalized assistance and integration of refugees with the societies of the host countries. Lessons learned may help European countries, including Poland, better prepare for future predicaments of this type.
The organisers invited experts representing various research centers in Europe to participate in the debate. The conference was opened by an introductory lecture by Philipp Ther, discussing exile in the past and present, with particular emphasis on the contemporary situation. The lecture was followed by three thematic panels: a) discussing migration during both world wars in Europe, b) presenting projects documenting contemporary wars and war refugeedom, and c) presenting the Ukrainian experience of refugedom, both in the past and present.
