www.refugeeconference.org - 2008 Conference on Refugee Warehousing

Conference Schedule

Friday October 10^th

5:00-6:00pm *Frick Fine Arts Hallway

Registration and tabling of partner organizations

Please register to receive conference materials (registration is free).

Partner organizations will have tables with information available.

6:00 – 7:45pm *Frick Fine Arts Auditorium

Welcome and Keynote Address

Welcome: Ellie Ott and Veronica Dristas

Keynote Address: Dr. Barbara Harrell-Bond, OBE (American University in Cairo)

"The Origins of Camps for Refugees: From Integration to Containment"

From the beginnings of the refugee regime, Nansen realized that the only solution for them was to be able to exercise their right to freedom of movement, hence the Nansen Passport. 'Camps' after the Second World War were usually simply empty spaces which could be temporary places of resort for homeless people including refugees from Eastern Europe until they could be settled where they could earn their own livelihood. This talk will trace the agendas of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that led to camps becoming places of for the containment of refugees while in exile.

8:00 – 8:45pm *In Frick Fine Arts Auditorium

Documentary screening

'A Snapshot of Refugee Life in Uganda' by the Refugee Law Project

Saturday October 11^th

9:00 – 10:30am *In Chevron Room 12

Panel discussion: Kakuma Camp, Kenya– A Case Study of Warehousing in Africa

Panelists: Judy Wakahiu, Abraham Awolich and Khadra Mohammed

Chair: Michele Garrity

Ms. Wakahiu, Mr. Awolich, Ms. Mohammed will examine specific aspects and consequences of warehousing. They will focus their panel discussion on warehousing in Africa, utilizing the Kakuma Camp of Kenya as a case study and example and providing personal testimony and experience.

11:00am – 12:15pm Parallel sessions

Workshop: Refugee Warehousing in Asia *In Chevron 135

Presenters: Merrill Smith, Jenelle Eli

Chair: Jong Ham

Workshop: Refugee Warehousing in the Middle East *In Chevron 130

Presenter: Ben Sanders

Chair: CERIS Representative

12:15 – 1:45pm *In Chevron Commons Area

Lunch break and tabling of partner organizations

1:45 – 2:45pm *In Chevron Room 12

Keynote Address: Merrill Smith (U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants)

"Crashing the Development Party for Refugees: Who do you have to de-fund around here to get respect for refugee rights?"

One of the key factors in the pervasiveness and persistence of warehousing is the fact that refugee aid is almost exclusively channeled through humanitarian relief budgets rather than development programs. This may (or may not) make sense in emergency situations but it persists for decades. Different institutions jealously segregate these two funding streams from the donor governments through the international agencies, right down to host country bureaucracies. This result is the subsidization of warehousing and the exclusion of refugees from economic activity. How do we break this vicious cycle?

3:15pm – 4:30pm Parallel sessions

Workshop: Addressing Problems and Finding Solutions for Local Resettled Refugee Populations *In Chevron 135

Presenters: John Miller, Dawn Zuckerman

Chair: Ellie Ott

As the effects of warehousing extend beyond life in the camp, local resettlement agencies and refugees will discuss the biggest issues refugees face now living in the US as a result of camp life or other factors. They will address concerns to be presented to local political leaders, engaging in a dialogue for a better resettled life in Pittsburgh.

Workshop: Women and Advocacy *In Chevron 130

Facilitator: Barbara Harrell-Bond

Dr. Harrell-Bond will lead a breakout session discussing how to design and implement a successful advocacy campaign that highlights how a certain problem affects women.

Sunday October 12^th

9:30-11:00am *In Frick Fine Arts Auditorium

Workshop: Plan of Attack

Presenter: Merrill Smith

Chair: Karen Frost-Arnold

Creation of a grassroots advocacy campaign to combat warehousing plans for implementation

Discussion of advocacy strategies on the local level

Possible other topics include: the use of technology and the internet for advocacy, how to effectively lobby the US government, and writing to Members of Congress to make the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account refugee-friendly

11:15am-12:15pm *In Frick Fine Arts Auditorium

Personal Testimony: Abraham A. Awolich

“Living a Refugee Life – Experience from Kakuma”
Mr. Awolich will close the conference by discussing further his personal experience living life as a refugee and the impact of warehousing policies on lives of refugees. He will encourage the continuation of all participants in the fight to end warehousing.

Concluding Remarks