We are all Migrants
Some years ago there was a cartoon which caught my attention. It was of a naval vessel showing the power of its guns, with its commander leaning over the stern looking down at the tiny overcrowded boat below filled with migrants. “Where are you from?” he shouted. Back came the response, “Earth.”
By Australian cartoonist Simon Kneebone, 2014
Imen al Nighahoui, in Voices for Youth, writes, “in reality we all came from different parts of the world. We might be sitting in the safety of our homes; however, we all emigrated from some place. Inside our blood runs the history of humanity. We might be anyone and our ancestors might be descendants from any part of the world. Therefore, we don’t belong to one place but, we belong to everywhere.”
At a recent online meeting of the United Nations Network on Migration one participant reminded us that “we are all migrants.” That sense of belonging, our interconnectedness to all people and our planet, brings with it rights and responsibilities. As followers of Christ we are called to pick up the mantle of inclusion and care for all people, widening our vision beyond our own doorstep into uncharted territory.
Stepping into the unknown in September last year, I accepted, on behalf of our Diocese, an invitation to attend and address an online meeting of the Regional UN Network on migration, focussing on Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement with the Regional UN Network on Migration within Asia and the Pacific. as a faith based stakeholder. Subsequently I’m now, on behalf of the Diocese, receiving regular invites to meetings involving the network’s ongoing work, where they regularly share and consult with a range of organisations/governments across the Asia and Pacific.
Prior to the initial meeting those taking part were given the opportunity to read and respond to the document, Implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: a global compact for, with and by migrants, adding comments and suggested additions to the draft if they wished.
The resulting document was released last year and among the signatories in support are our Bishops Justin Duckworth and Ellie Sanderson.
The role of faith based organisations and Church within these global dialogues, cannot be overstated. Our voices and our subsequent actions are vital within our troubled world today.
For as Mahatma Ghandi once said, “You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.”
Rev. Chris Frazer, deacon for social justice
