Giol i Aymerich, Joaquim

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

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This is 
OPINION 
THE G I R O N A  REPORT 
ON I M M I G R A T I O N  
S a subject of debate. And talking 
has alrnost becorne a fashion. We 
ly ask ourselves whether or not we 
ists, whether or not the country is, or 
mply if al1 human beings are. We 
lbates, write articles, rnake speeches 
Dress our opinions in a more or less 
I manner. In rny opinion, this debate 
im -or, if you like, against racisrn- is 
~ugh, and unless we adopt 
ctive attitudes and commitments it could becorne 
productive. If what concerns us most is 
ng whether or not we are racists, rather than 
3 the right conditions to make it possible for 
ints to integrate, then we shall be doing very 
r either immigrants or the country. We must take 
3 from talking against racism to the moral 
nent of individuals and institutions in favour of 
tion. 
?cial "regularization process" put into effect by 
inish state in 1991, and which meant that 
O foreigners were able to get a work perrnit, 
>ught about a radical change in the situation. 
w is the time to talk seriously about integration. 
.eign worker whose legal situation is  in order 
be thought of as one more mernber of the 
: he makes his contribution to econornic progress 
N culture of origin contains values that can enrich 
1. We therefore need to create areas of cultural 
ae and, respecting their culture, work shoulder 
lder with those who share our values as regards 
acy, respect for wornen, etc. 
lonia, the challenge of integration is  
lable. And overcorning it is  up to al1 of us. The 
v,ill have to leave aside gut reactions, the media 
le to be more realistic and obiective, irnmigrant 
tions and other relevant non-governrnental 
#ations will have to work together and find the 
collaborate with the administrations who have 
note responsibility in this field. Otherwise, we 
id ourselves in a dead-end street. There are 
i Europe that illustrate this quite clearly 
inyl. 
the thinking behind the "Girona Report", a text, 
the first of these characteristics to be 
presented in Spain, published by the Centre 
UNESCO de Catalunya, which is the result of 
the ioint work of foreigners' associations 
and the non-governmental organisations of 
the area of Girona, and which makes fifty 
proposals to the three administrations 
(state, autonomy and local authoritiesl and 
to social agents, with the obiect of laying 
the foundations for collaboration in this field. 
The report is arranged under four main headings: 
Legality, Integration, Attitudes, Recommendations. 
Legality. This analyses policies on movements, visas, 
asylum and refuge, and defends the need for 
controlling entry at the same time as permanence in the 
country is assured once the legal requirements have 
been covered. It also rnakes reference to current 
expulsion procedures, to security of residence and to 
policies of farnily regrouping. 
Integration. This covers working conditions and 
technical training, accommodation, health services, 
women's promotion, social services, civil and political 
rights, the training of children and adults, the training 
of monitors and group leaders and general education 
for an intercultural society. 
Attitudes. This addresses society in general, social 
attitudes, the discourse of the media and social 
operators and the attitudes of the public authorities. 
The report ends with the fifty proposals mentioned 
above. 
Optimists speak of a ten-year period for the process of 
integration to take off. Ten years during which we must 
solve problems such as accommodation -one of the 
most pressing, and not only for imrnigrants-, medical 
services, training, etc. Ten years during which to 
debate and put into effect a global policy on 
immigration: a policy that must give special priority to 
social and political consensus and ensure that 
irnmigrant groups are protected from precarious 
situations that necessarily make for social conflicts. 
Lastly, I think the issue of immigration is a test of ethics 
for our rnodern democratic society. This is  a good 
occasion to live up to egalitarian values, to the ideals 
of tolerance, solidarity and respect for minorities. i 
J O A Q U l M  6 1 0 1  1 AYMERlCH D E P A R T M E N T  O F  F O R E I G N E R S .  C A R I T A S  G I R O N A  
C A T A L O N I A  


The Girona Report on Immigration

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Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert