Crossing Borders - Building Futures

The seminar aims to provide a platform for:

• Exploring the intersection of restorative justice and migration policies;
• Addressing integration challenges by promoting and facilitating dialogue between host communities and children on the move;
• Developing actionable insights to promote inclusion, equity, safety and a sense of justice for children on the move;
• Highlighting innovative practices and systemic solutions to barriers faced by children impacted my migration and displacement;
• Encouraging multiagency cooperation between different institutions and services supporting children on the move as well as hosting communities.

Children on the move are impacted by migration and displacement in diverse ways, crossing international borders or relocating within their countries. In 2020, children under the age of 18 accounted for 13% of international migrants, meaning that 1 in 66 children worldwide lived outside their country of birth. This diverse group includes:

• Children in transit and migrant children.
• Children in need of international protection (e.g., refugees, asylum-seekers, unaccompanied minors, and stateless children).
• Internally displaced children fleeing conflict, violence, or natural disasters.
• Victims of trafficking or those displaced by political turmoil and climate change.
• Children indirectly affected by migration, such as those separated from caregivers or awaiting family reunification and children of migrants.

These children often experience heightened risks of violence and exploitation in settings where they should feel safest (e.g. families, schools, and communities). Additional systemic challenges, such as racism, xenophobia, and ecological injustices, create further barriers to their safety and well-being of children on the move.

The metaphor of an odyssey captures the complex journeys of children on the move, marked by trauma, resilience, and hope. Restorative justice and restorative practices offer pathways for these children to heal, rebuild trust, and foster inclusion. However, to be truly restorative, the “difficult others” in their lives (e.g. families left behind, traffickers, hostile host communities, or biased institutions) must also be part of the dialogue.

While the causes of migration (e.g. natural disasters, armed conflict, trafficking) are critical, to keep the scope of the seminar focused and impactful, we focus on the experiences of children on the move as they transition into life in Europe.

Restorative justice and restorative practices can address the systemic barriers faced by children on the move, such as:

• Institutional biases (e.g., in schools, housing, or healthcare systems that may inadvertently exclude or disadvantage children).
• Host community privileges and prejudices that may polarise relationships.
• Power imbalances in refugee centres or other settings where children are vulnerable to exploitation or neglect.

The seminar will focus on arrival and integration in Europe, addressing how restorative practices can foster supportive environments in schools, families, communities, and institutions. Key questions include:

• How can schools, families, and communities use restorative approaches to build inclusive spaces for children on the move?
• How can systemic biases in host institutions be addressed through restorative practices?
• How can the lived experiences of children on the move inspire new restorative justice practices?
• What role can restorative justice play in reducing polarisation and bridging cultural divides?
• How can restorative practices transform power dynamics in settings where children depend on authority figures?

This seminar seeks to engage a diverse group of professionals, including:

• Academics and practitioners in restorative justice and restorative practices.
• Policymakers working on migration or child protection.
• Child and youth advocacy organizations.
• Migration organisations and refugee agencies.
• Legal professionals specializing in child or migrant rights.
• Teachers, school directors, social workers, youth workers, psychologists and trauma experts in multicultural settings.
• Experts on climate migration and ecological displacement.
• Individuals with lived experience of migration.

Approximately 130–150 participants are expected to engage in vibrant discussions and knowledge exchanges over 1.5 days.

• Registrations open on 13 January 2025.
• Waiver applicants must submit their request for a discounted fee until 28 February 2025.
• The early-bird registration and the student fee are offered until 28 March 2025.
• Registrations close on 28 April 2025.

Our local orginising team prepared some local tips in terms of travelling to Athens, accommodation and local transport. 

The seminar will take place at the Conference venue of the University of West Attica, at Elaionas campus in collaboration with the Department of Social Work, located at Thivon 250, P.C. 12244, Aigaleo, Athens.

For those who are wondering where to sleep, the EFRJ organising team will be staying at Arethusa Hotel. 

The drawing used for the seminar poster was created by the children of beneficiaries of the “ESTIA 2021” program, a housing initiative for asylum seekers that operated in Tilos, a small island in the Dodecanese, Greece. Over its three-year duration, the program provided accommodation for vulnerable families with children while they awaited asylum decisions. During their time on the island, the children integrated into the local community, attending school and learning Greek. 

This drawing was made in collaboration with their educator, Mrs. Maria Kamma, as part of Environmental Day activities. It depicts the earth, the sun—representing a universal connection—and various elements such as their school, symbolising inclusivity and openness to all, regardless of origin. Through their artwork, they conveyed the idea that no matter where we are, we can travel, play, and love. At the top of the drawing, they wrote in Greek: "Wherever I am, Earth is my home."