On March 15, 2022, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in cooperation with the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) organized a conference on the topic of „Migration Crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina“. There are more than 250 million migrants today, representing the highest number since World War II, and possibly ever. Migrants leave their homes for diverse reasons such as seeking better jobs and access to better health care; running away from famine, war, or natural disasters; or fleeing persecution and looking for political and religious freedoms they do not enjoy at home. Migration is not a temporary issue. It is expected that the numbers will only increase by time, hence the importance to discuss this important topic.
The event gathered several professionals in the field of migration. Mr. Stanko Perica, JRC Director for South East Europe addressed the audience and explained migration trends in the last couple of years. Mr. Perica pointed out how we need to re-think migration crisis since the global response to it is not adequate but unilateral and shortsighted. Afterwards, Dr. Marko Isajlovć, Medical Adviser of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) presented the main roles of the DRC in Bosnia and Herzegovina which are specialized healthcare provision and diagnostic services, health promotion workshops and border protection monitoring.
Adjunct Instructor Dr. Nina Bosankić and Associate Professor Dr. Selvira Draganović from the Psychology study program at IUS, discussed the psychological consequences of migration. Professor Bosankić and Professor Draganović explained how developed countries must avoid creating dependency on foreign assistance which creates the feeling of learned helplessness. Following the psychological aspect of the migration, Assistant Professor, Dr. Jahja Muhasilović addressed the socio-political, economic and security aspects of this ongoing issue. According to Prof. Muhasilović, there are both positive and negative aspects to the migration, negative being the rise of xenophobia, creating the European fortress by strengthening borders, physical and psychological abuse of the migrants, while the positive aspects are improved workforce, cultural enrichment and other.
Mr. Hamid Badreldin Mohamed Ali presented the work of JRS in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Besides offering assistance to migrants all over the world, JRS focuses on organizing useful workshops, activities and events for migrants to increase their skills and provide support which is of highest importance for them. Afterwards, the audience had the opportunity to hear the life story of three young men coming from Nigeria, Syria and Afghanistan living in the migration camp in Blažuj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the main guests, the event moderator Mr. Armin Mavrić opened the floor to a Q&A session with the audience that shed some more light on this current significant topic.