Renowned Film Director, Costa Gavras, Chairs 3rd Civil Society Days organised by the Onassis Foundation

The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation is this year’s organiser of the Civil Society Days (CSD) of the 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). The CSD will be held in Athens, Greece on the 2nd and 3rd November 2009, under the chairmanship of the renowned film director, with a key involvement in migration issues, Mr. Costa Gavras.

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is an international meeting of voluntary non-binding and informal transnational consultation, open to all Member States of the United Nations. It focuses on migration and its possible association with development. The GFMD consists of the Civil Society Days where participants such as NGOs and other society members formulate proposals to be discussed at the forum’s second part, namely at the international meeting of government representatives which is to take place on the 4th and 5th November 2009. The Forum was created following a proposal by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2006 and was held for the first time in Brussels, Belgium in 2007 and in Manila, the Philippines, one year later.

The theme of the Athens CSD “Integrating migration policies in development strategies for the benefit of all” is already receiving broad attention, with organisers receiving more applications for participation than any other time since the Forum’s initiation.

Ms Marianna Moschou, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Onassis Foundation, said, on behalf of the Organising Committee of the CSD 2009: “We pledge to work hard to host a memorable event that will have a lasting impact. It will be a difficult task but we are certain that, with the presence of Mr. Gavras and the Foundation’s excellent collaboration with the International Advisory Committee, CSD 2009 will lead to significant recommendations towards better migration policies.”

At the press conference announcing his chairmanship of the CSD 2009, Mr. Gavras explained the reasons for his involvement in Civil Society Days: “Perhaps you are aware of my long standing association with migrants and migration. The immigrants’ problem is not settling in their new country but becoming part of the new society. However, currently, this seems very difficult, for immigrants are seen more as a threat rather than a possible source for development. This is why I am delighted to chair this year’s Civil Society Days and aim to work hard for concrete recommendations to be addressed to all governments.”

The launch of a new International Onassis Prize in migration

The Onassis Foundation’s commitment to deal with the crucial issue of immigrant integration and its link to development is demonstrated through long-term initiatives, such as the launch of the new “Hestia” Onassis International Prize in Immigrant Integration and Human Development.

The prize will be awarded once a year for the next three years (2009-2011) in the context of the Global Forum on Migration and Development and will be accompanied by the amount of € 50,000 per annum.

The President of the Onassis Foundation, Mr. Anthony Papadimitriou, stated: “The biography of our emigrant founder, Aristotle Onassis, serves as an intimate and important basis for the Foundation’s activities. Our involvement in organising the CSD 2009 offered an excellent opportunity to launch this Prize. As Elia in Mr. Gavras’ film Eden is West seeks to establish a new life, a new home, a new hestia, through this award the Foundation hopes to contribute to the lives and integration of all ‘Elias’ of this world.”

“[…] I wanted this film to resemble an Odyssey. My hero, a young Ulysses, crosses the sea, my sea, the Mediterranean. Then, he walks through storms and tests by opposing modern monsters and carries contemporary myths in his path. There is, however, one difference between the two men. While Ulysses’ aim is his return home, the film’s central character goes to Paris in order to create a home there.”
Costa Gavras’ comment on his film Eden is West.

Here please find the photos made during the Press Conference.

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For more information about the CSD of the 3rd GFMD and the new “Hestia” Onassis International Prize, please visit www.gfmd2009.org & www.onassis.gr.

Athens, October 15, 2009