A tribute to Cities of Migration, 2008 to 2019

In 2018, Maytree launched Cities of Migration to enable an exchange of good ideas in immigrant integration and innovative practices and policy solutions that promote diversity, inclusion and urban prosperity. The idea was inspired by a serendipitous visit to the City of Birmingham led by Senator Ratna Omidvar, who was Presdient of Maytree at that time. Omidvar and colleagues recognized that successful migrant integration programs in one city could be replicated in others, and by sharing stories of how policy was playing out on-the-ground, they could help to spread an understanding of best practices in cities around the world. In her role as President of Maytree (external link) , Omidvar established an international network for learning and discussion. The Cities of Migration initiative was supported by international founding partners: Bertelsmann Stiftung (Germany), Barrow Cadbury Trust (UK), Tindall Foundation (New Zealand), Fundacion Bertelsmann (Spain), and Open Society Foundations (EU). For more than a decade, Cities of Migration earned an international reputation for excellence in identifying promising local integration practices and building an international network of practitioners, policymakers, leaders in government, business and not-for-profit. At its peak, Cities of Migration had connections to many thousands of contacts around the world.