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A World of Neighbours members work from diverse platforms across Europe in faith-based organisations, grassroots organisations, faith institutions, in public sector and academic entities, or work independently. Practitioners working with people on the move face isolation, disconnection, harassment and burn-out. AWoN brings them together, strengthens them personally, professionally and unites them in a common vision for a socially cohesive Europe.
A key element of AWoN practitioner support is the Home Groups, running for 15 weeks, twice a year. Each group has about 10 members, including both old-timers and newcomers from the AWoN community. Each round of
Home Groups has a new mix of people. Home Groups meet online 4-6 times as a group, and participants also have one-on-one calls with each other in between. While the group meetings focus on sharing visions, best practices, and exploring collaborations, the main focus of the personal call is to set aside time to bond and strengthen trust and connections within the network.
Webinars and Help-My-Case Meetings serve as means for practitioners to reflect on and share/gain knowledge. Webinars cover topics relevant to the fields of migration and interreligious praxis, including research, policies, politics, and current societal developments. AWoN’s Research Team is a unique asset to our network and supports research-based practices.
A World of Neighbours meets in person once a year, rotating among different countries. In 2023, the gathering took place in Hungary, and in 2024, it will be held in Greece. It combines elements of a retreat, knowledge sharing, visits to local practitioners for support, and a formal annual meeting to elect board members and plan for the future. The event culminates with ‘A Seat at the Table,’ a public event featuring researchers, politicians, refugees, practitioners, and faith leaders. This results in a joint manifesto on a specific theme.
Connections are paramount to our network. With support from the Lund University we creating our own platform, AWoN Connect, think of it as our own ‘LinkedIn’. Launching the first version in 2024, it won’t just help us connect; it will also let us access info, share links, and recommendations. Plus, there’ll be a special section for grants and funds for all of us to tap into.
Young Europeans, some with refugee backgrounds and some without, are coming together from from various European countries and diverse backgrounds have taken the first steps to build a network to support each other in making cross-cultural and multi-religious connections.
