As part of our popular “Face2Face” discussion series, Embassy Bratislava partnered with the Open Society Foundation to host a discussion about refugees and migration on November 19. The discussion took place in Zilina and included representatives from the Slovak Human Rights League (HRL), People in Peril, and a naturalized Syrian émigré who has been working with refugees in central Europe. Charge d’Affaires Liam Wasley delivered opening remarks calling for a humane approach to migration, while panelists discussed the current situation in Europe, the legal status of refugees, and ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts. During the Q&A session, panelists presented facts that put the scope and impact of the migration issue into perspective. For example, panelist Branislav Tichy from People in Peril noted that 1.5 million refugees represented only a fraction of a percent of Europe’s 500 million people. HRL’s Zuzana Stevulova cautioned that a lack of asylum assistance pushes migrants into the hands of smugglers. Panel member Dr. Ibrahim Khalil spoke about the refugees he had encountered during his participation in relief efforts over the past year. Approximately 40 people attended the event.
