In this seminar, the results of the Somalis in Oslo study will be discussed, and a hard copy of the report will be made available for participants. Open Society Foundations' At Home in Europe project examines the realities of people from Somali backgrounds in seven European cities. The study in Oslo was carried out by a research team at PRIO, led by Research Professor Cindy Horst.
The report finds that poverty remains one of the single greatest barriers to Norwegian-Somali inclusion in Oslo; exacerbated by negative portrayals of Somalis within the Norwegian media. It furthermore stresses that, to overcome the gap between the demands of the Norwegian labour market and the limited formal qualifications that many Somalis have upon entering Norway, better emphasis can be placed on people's actual skills and experiences. In addion to practical challenges, 'Somalis in Oslo' finds that Norway is still coming to terms with a new Norwegian identity that can include those who have backgrounds from outside of Norway. This is particularly important for young Norwegian-Somalis, who feel a sense of exclusion acutely.
Program:
08.15 Breakfast and coffee
08.30 Welcome (Marta Bivand Erdal, PRIO)
08.35 Somalis in Oslo: Presentation of the report (Cindy Horst, PRIO)
09.00 Comments by Ubah Aden (Minority Advisor IMDi; City Council of Oslo)
09.10 Comments by Warsame Ali (National Centre for Minority Health Research, NAKMI)
09.20 Questions and discussions
10.00 End of seminar; informal networking
