SOCIAL INTEGRATION THROUGH ART AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF REFUGEE AND MIGRATORY CRISES

Abstract

The „refugee and migratory crises” started in 2015 in the European Union has brought the need to consider the role of culture as element that could ease up social integration of refugees, no matter the place they are. Thus, in the last three years, the European Union is giving an increasingly attention to projects that are aiming to integrate refugees into the destination countries. In this regard, culture is one of the major domains through which social integration and inclusion of refugees could be facilitated. In brief, the social integration and inclusion of refugees is considered to be widely complex and very dynamic, defined as a „mutual, multi-faceted and on-going process” (UNHCR, 2002). Against this background, is necessary to adopt a multidimensional perspective which involves - among other aspects, a structured analysis on how the refugees could be well prepared to adapt into the host societies or communities without having to give up their own social and cultural identity. Moreover, after the onset of the „refugee and migratory crisis”, European countries are facing new challenges, including demographic and social ones, in order to deal with this situation by promoting sustainable solutions.