"From Emigration to Integration"

Ambassador Dumitriu
Ms. Katalin
Ms. Tarabega
Ms. Grosaru
Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of the Director-General who regrets that he cannot be with you personally, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the opening of a historical and important exhibition on an issue that touches many of us – namely, migration. I would like to thank the Permanent Delegation of the Council of Europe for the organization of this event and for the continued commitment to our Cultural Activities Programme. I would also like to express my appreciation to Ms. Katalin for joining us to show the commitment of the Government of Romania to sharing its culture and the lessons learned from its history of emigration and integration.

In looking at the moving photos in this exhibition, we see first and foremost our common humanity. We see how each individual Italian migrant gave something of themselves to make Romania the country that it is today. Whether it touches us directly or indirectly, migrants are part of the fabric of the societies that they settle into.

Today, an estimated 214 million people live outside their country of origin. Many of us here today are among them. Migration affects every region of the world, and many countries are now simultaneously countries of origin, destination and transit.

The universal nature of migration has made it an issue high on the agenda of the United Nations, and Geneva is a hub for work in this area. Social and economic development through migration and the preservation of the dignity and fundamental rights of migrants are areas of focus of the International Organization for Migration – and I am pleased that we have the Deputy Director-General of this organization with us – and the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and its Special Rapporteur on migration.

The focus is also evident in global discussions on the post-2015 development agenda. Next month in New York, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, a High-level Dialogue will be held to identify measures to strengthen coherence and cooperation on enhancing the benefits of international migration for migrants and countries alike, as well as its important links to development.

Through this exhibition, we experience the history of emigration and integration in Romania on personal and individual levels. At the same time, I am sure that it will also serve as an opportunity to reflect on migration on a global scale - on its contributions to economic and social development and to our shared future.

Thank you very much.