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The Human Rights Directorate held a conference on Wednesday 5th
August at the Palace Hotel, Sliema, entitled “What
Two-Way-Integration Needs Are Cultural Mediators Responding To?” The
Head of the Intercultural and Anti-Racism Unit, Mr Alexander Tortell, introduced
the conference and the objectives behind it: to bring together various
stakeholders to discuss their different needs for a cultural mediator as well
as to raise awareness about the Diploma in Education for Cultural Mediation.
Representatives from the Migrant Health
Liaison Office, the Migrant Learners’ Unit, Jobsplus, Identity Malta and AWAS
raised important points on the difficulties that migrants face upon arriving to
Malta. These include language, socio-cultural and red-tape barriers, as well as
racism and discrimination. Therefore, the role of the cultural mediator is an
important one to be able to guide the migrant throughout the integration
process in Malta, be it in matters of residence, health, employment, education
and housing, among others. An interactive session was then led by Dr Colin
Calleja whereby the participants built the ideal profile of a cultural
mediator.
While the aforementioned entities have
interpreters and translators aiding migrants on the ground, they, nevertheless,
accentuated the need for a concentrated effort. In fact, Dr Phyllisienne
Vassallo Gauci presented the Diploma
in Education for Cultural Mediation. This two-year Diploma seeks to encourage migrants to
apply for this training and education to be able to have interculturally
competent staff throughout different sectors of the government.
This conference was funded by the Asylum,
Migrant and Integration Fund 2014-2020.
Kindly click here for more information on this course.
Agenda
Mr. Alexander Tortell -
Head of the Intercultural and Anti-Racism Unit –
Introduction to “What Two-Way-Integration Needs Are Cultural Mediators Responding To?”
Dr. Phyllisienne Vassallo Gauci - Diploma in Education for Cultural Mediation
Ms. Marika Podda Connor
- Practice
Nurse, Migrant
Health Liaison Office, Health-Primary Health Care -
Cultural Mediators in the Health Services
Ms. Jane Farrugia Buhagiar - Education Officer, Migrant Learners' Unit, MEDE -
The Role of the Community Liaison Workers within the LLAPSI + Project - MEDE
Ms. Nicola Cini – Department Manager,
Employment Services Division, Jobsplus –
Jobsplus Needs vis-à-vis Cultural Mediators
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