Credit: Getty/bymuratdeniz

Please join us for a series of webinars that will explore the intersection between root causes and migration. Note that you will have to register for each individually; the opportunity to do so follows the description for each one:

The Great Escape: Navigating the Complexities of Environmental Related Displacement

Rising water levels submerging a house as heavy monsoon rains cause major floods in Baco, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines on July 23, 2021. Getty/Cheryl Ramalho

Join us for a three-part webinar summer series, on the root causes of migration. The first part of this summer series includes the thought-provoking complex issue of environmental-related migration. Our panel of experts will explore the root cause of migration due to the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, the local effects of climate change along with other forms of environmental dislocation and, the role of the Catholic Church in addressing this crisis. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the urgent issue of environmental causes of forced migration and how we can all work together to promote sustainable practices and protect the well-being of those affected.

When: Wednesday, May 24, 2:00 PM EA

Make Peace, Not War: The Role of Conflict in Displacement

Conflicts rage around the world, and it is generally the most vulnerable who suffer the greatest consequences. Forced to flee from their homes to escape threats of violence, those displaced often have nowhere to turn for help. As a root cause of migration, war and other forms of conflict can leave large swathes of land uninhabitable. This webinar will explore the ways in which war and conflict have led to significant displacement in our modern era and how the Church has advocated forthrightly in defense of those displaced. We will further explore some of the ways in which conflict can be mitigated, people can have the opportunity to return to their homes, and how support can be provided to the displaced throughout this process.

When: Wednesday, June 28, 2:00 PM EA

Why Migrate? The Underlying Economic Pushes and Pulls that Drive Migration

Mumbai cityscape with a big contrast between poverty and wealth, Maharashtra, India. Getty/Adrian Catalin Lazar

Why aren’t more immigrants currently coming from Norway? Actually, from the last quarter of the 19th century to just a handful of years before the start of WWI, almost 1 million people from Norway – about one quarter of the Norwegian workforce – immigrated abroad, mostly to the U.S. These Norwegian immigrants were not only the least educated, but also among the poorest in their country. Moreover, upon arriving to the U.S., most unskilled Norwegian immigrants took the lowest paying jobs and, in cities where they settled, mostly manual labor work. This reality has repeated itself throughout American history; economically ambitious migrants who want to provide more opportunity for themselves and for their families leaving a country where opportunities are limited. This webinar will focus on some of the economic variables that drive migration and examine what “pull factors” exist in the U.S.

When: Wednesday, July 26, 2:00 PM EA