The SIRIUS project (Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum applicants in European Labour Markets) had its final event on 06th July 2021. Titled ‘Stories of migrant workers in the EU: individuals’ capacity for change’, it took the form of an online première. SOLIDAR worked in close collaboration with Catalan theatre company Hand Made Theatre, project coordinators in the University of Parma, and all the universities from the SIRIUS consortium to disseminate the project’s findings in a creative and accessible format.

‘Routes’, a short filmed theatre play, was the outcome. This theatrical and audiovisual piece is made of three parts, each of which follows the story of a newcomer to the EU in search for a better life, finding and sometimes fighting their way into the labour market. The videos are now available below – watch and share!

Part 1 – ‘Sono un bravo ragazzo un po’ fuori di testa’

Part 2 – ‘Kneading dough’

Part 3 – ‘Home’

Routes was screened to an audience of 44 people, each part followed by a discussion with the actors, the author, the SIRIUS researchers and civil society organisations and the audience.

The conversation drew attention to the concrete realities faced by third country nationals as well as the policy needs on the topic of labour market integration. SOLIDAR’s Secretary General Mikael Leyi stressed the importance of producing and exchanging knowledge on what facilitates and what impedes migrants’ integration, in order to inform both policy-makers and practitioners and build inclusive European societies based on evidence.

For more information about this event or about this theatrical production, you can contact Julie Martinaud: julie.martinaud@solidar.org.