"We're Better Together": Advancing Refugee Integration in Brussels

On 10 March 2024, Brussels hosted the "We're Better Together" event, organised by UNHCR and Ingka IKEA Group, to explore solutions for refugee integration and labour market inclusion. The event was opened by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, with key speakers including EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner and Tolga Öncü, Chief Retail Operations Manager at IKEA.

Discussions focused on addressing misconceptions about refugees, promoting inclusive labour markets and sharing successful initiatives, including IKEA's model of employing refugees. The event also highlighted the challenges of securing funding for refugee employment programmes and the importance of recognising refugees' qualifications and skills from their home countries.

As a panellist in Panel 5 on "Securing Funding for Refugee Integration Projects", Shaden Sabouni, representative of the Refugee Advisory Board Germany, actively contributed to discussions on effective strategies for funding refugee-related initiatives, addressing the challenges of securing financial support for refugee employment programmes and exploring innovative approaches to collaboration between private stakeholders, NGOs and refugee communities.

The event concluded with a call for stronger partnerships to create sustainable employment opportunities and improve refugee inclusion across Europe.

More information: We're Better Together – Join us at the "We're Better Together” Event – Fostering Refugee Integration and Inclusion.