The Integration Promotion Services of the City of Kotka’s Welfare and Employment Department organised a Etelä-Kymenlaakso Integration Forum in Kotka’s Eagle House this week, which brought together more than 60 participants from different backgrounds.
Participants included authorities, immigrants, representatives of educational institutions and students, as well as third sector actors and volunteers.

The theme of the forum was immigrant inclusion and the event was part of the International Recruitment Capacity (Kareva) project. The project is a three-year project funded by the European Social Fund to help companies anticipate the future labour market, develop the recruitment of international talent and find good practices for working in a diverse workplace.
The City of Kotka is a co-implementer of the project. The city’s contribution is to develop guidance and counselling services for immigrants and international talents and to promote networking and integration of immigrants.

The event was opened by Janne Jalonen, Employment Manager of Etelä-Kymenlaakso employment services (EKTE), who in his opening speech illustrated the organisational structure of employment and integration. Jalonen stressed the importance of cooperation between different actors in promoting integration and inclusion.

Integration snapshot and inclusion theme on the agenda

During the day, the City of Kotka gave three presentations on the Kareva project, the integration situation in the region, the concepts of integration and inclusion, and the content of the City of Kotka’s inclusion programme. Guest speaker at the event was Regina Ainla, Talent Boost Network & Diversity Manager of Work in Finland. She shared her own experiences and views on inclusion and employment of immigrants.

International panel discussion underlined the importance of interaction

The Forum concluded with a panel discussion on inclusion, involving a multicultural group of participants. The panel included representatives from Iran, Sudan, Nepal, Peru and two Finnish migrant workers.

The discussion highlighted perspectives that emphasised the importance of human interaction in creating an experience of inclusion. Positive attitudes, being listened to, being able to express one’s ideas and participating in common activities such as hobbies and clubs were highlighted as important factors in supporting inclusion. The immigrant’s own willingness and curiosity to get to know Finns and Finnish culture is also important.

The panel also found that while language skills facilitate the experience of inclusion, it can be significantly enhanced through interaction alone. As one panellist put it, “body language is worth a thousand words”. A bold start to a conversation, a look in the eye and a smile can make a real difference to an immigrant.

At the end of the forum, the audience took part in a joint discussion, which raised issues such as the role of culture in promoting inclusion. How to make different cultures more visible in the Kotka area and how the most important thing in interacting with immigrants is to respect humanity across cultural borders.

The Integration Forum provided a valuable opportunity to share experiences, experience a sense of community, empowerment and reflect on concrete ways to improve the inclusion and integration of immigrants. The event was a positive step towards a more inclusive and open society in Etelä-Kymenlaakso. Plans are underway to make the Integration Forum a regular event, bringing together integration actors and immigrants around common themes for years to come.

Read next