A one-day Symposium on ‘Voluntary return – the way to the homeland’ was organised jointly by the Ministry of the Interior and Sport Halberstädter and BAMF at Competence Centre Return at the Magdeburger Stadtmission, Germany.  The meeting was hosted by the MoI & Sports, in Magdeburg. This meeting was participated by more than 80 persons including the members from host ministry, Counsellors, Organisation representatives from three countries of Return- India, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

The purpose of the meeting is to give a detailed insight into the European Return Reintegration Network (ERRIN) – Programme and inform return counsellors about the reintegration assistance in the country of origin in India and other countries of return.  Caritas India represented Country of return-India.

ERRIN-II is currently in the second phase of two years period and has many European countries of Destination.

Caritas India in collaboration with Caritas Belgium (CIB) facilitates the reintegration of voluntary returnees in India in collaboration with various local partners in the state of Return.  ERRIN II a continuation of ERIN I is a programme developed by many European countries of destination together and is designed to support vulnerable persons from mostly developing countries who are living in a developed countries and are willing to return voluntarily to their country of origin.

In the meeting, various unit representatives from the Ministries shared their work and expressed their opinion of how ERRIN can be understood better and strengthen collaboration with BAMF for ERRIN in Sachsen-Anhalt areas of the Country. BAMF representative shared in detail what BAMF does and how it collaborates with many organisations including Caritas India in the countries of origin. Caritas India shared the reintegration work done in different parts of the countries in collaboration with local partners.  Some of the good practices of returnees who have started life back in the country exploring various possibilities were shared.

The Counsellors have many queries on the reintegration processes and some of them expressed their satisfaction in having such interface interaction with the people who work on the ground on reintegration work in the countries of return mentioning that their services and resources are worthwhile.  Other countries also shared many good practices which gave counsellors an insight into the challenges and successes of the returnee’s reintegration processes and work.

This meeting for Caritas India was another opportunity to engage in discussing dignified returns and contribute our mite for the same for those vulnerable returnees.