From December 14th, 2009, to January 4th, 2010, in the official document department of National Library of Belarus (the second floor, room 207) is open a book exhibition “Migratory processes in the modern society” dedicated to the International Migrants Day.
This day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2000 (resolutoin 55/93) and is observed annually on December 18th.
In this year, the International Migrants Day is celebrated for the tenth time. Observing this day we draw the world community’s attention to migratory processes in the modern world, and reveal the various contribution which migrants bring in economic, social and cultural development of our society.
Today more than 200 million persons live and work outside their native land. Every thirty fifth person is a migrant.
The international migration is one of the basic distinctive features of our promptly varying world. Globalization in combination with the growing distinctions of living conditions both inside of the states and between the states leads to increase of migration all over the world. Dependence of the global economy on workers-migrants is getting more and more significant. Migrants enrich host communities with experience, knowledge and human resources. Their presence promotes the exchange of ideas and stimulates cultural and scientific progress.
At the same time, migration causes numerous problems which concern the most diverse sections of society. They accuse migrants of being a burden for host countries. Contribution of migrants to economy, culture and public life of the countries where they live, is seldom appreciated. They have to face humiliation and discrimination and often become victims of racism or xenophobia. Most of migrants become victims of exploitation, abuse and human traffic.
During the last years the world community’s interest in the mutual and coordinated efforts in the field of migration has grown. In 1989, on the basis of the intergovernmental committee for migration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was established. In 2003, the Global Commission for International Migration was created. In September 2006, the UN General Assembly held a forum on international migration and development. The forum revealed aspiration of the world community to study interrelation and complementary character of the international migration and development with the purpose of revealing ways and means of an effectual use of advantages of the international migration and minimizing of its negative consequences. At the forum a complex of basic priority tasks was defined: from the control over observance of the rights of migrants and prevention of exploitation and human traffic to maintenance of essential benefits for development and establishment of harmonious relations between peoples of various origins living side by side in one society or one state.
Active migratory processes take place in Belarus too. These processes are caused by the events which took place during the last decades in the field of policy, economy and social life and conditioned, first of all, by declaration of independence of the Republic of Belarus. With a view of improving the migratory processes management in Belarus, the Government has prepared the State Migratory Program for 2006-2010 and the National Program of Demographic Safety for 2007-2010, including the subprogram on the migratory processes optimization.
With participation of the International Organization for Migration, in July 2007 the International educational center of training and retraining of personnel in the field of migration and counteraction to human traffic was established in the Republic of Belarus. The Republic of Belarus participates as well in international cooperation concerning forced, illegal and other kinds of migration.
The exhibition includes the following sections:
- the international migratory law;
- volume and dynamics of the international migration;
- the migratory policy and cooperation in the field of migration;
- illegal transportation of migrants and human traffic;
- the international labor migration;
- migratory processes in the Republic of Belarus.
The exposition totals about 100 documents (books, periodicals, mimeographed materials) of international organizations (UN, IOM, OSCE, ILO, the European Union) in Russian, French, German and English languages.
The exhibition is designed for specialists in international relations, lawyers, scientists, professors, students, and everyone who is interested in the modern theories and urgent issues of migration.
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