Just four days after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Timișoara’s mayor, Dominic Fritz, convened a meeting with city departments and civil society organizations to prepare for an unprecedented influx of refugees—before the EU even activated its Temporary Protection Directive. From the outset, leadership and coordination have been central to Timișoara’s approach, and continue to shape its migrant reception model today.
Timișoara’s URBACT Local Group brings together “frontliners in the work with vulnerable communities,” as Camelia Nitu-Fratila from the UNHCR’s transit center for resettlement noted. The city’s strong partnership between the social assistance service and civil society—forged during past emergencies such as the Pandemic —remains a cornerstone of its strategic and participatory approach.
Migrants as actors
Another crucial ingredient of Timisoara’s approach is the mobilisation of self-help potential of migrants. In the initial reception of Ukrainian refugees near the city’s North Station, the city was already looking for refugees who could help in the dissemination of information. Jane Rozbitskaya was such a person, who registered with the city’s volunteering scheme to serve as an interpreter. She set up a telegram channel through which the Ukrainian community could interact with the city, and be directed to private accommodation that was registered with and verified by the city council. Later, Jane would set up an association and organise events with local partners to provide a space for refugees to share their stories.
Angela Ciupa-Rad, Teodora Borghoff and Jane Rozbitskaya sharing their stories of co-creating support for Ukrainian refugees
Open doors for cooperation
Mihaela Vețan’s experience is another puzzle piece of Timișoara’s model: running a resource centre for the social and solidarity economy, Mihaela wondered how she could help. She found the social assistance department’s doors open to discuss her ideas and together with them set up a social shop to help distribute the arriving humanitarian aid products. Later, she introduced cooking workshops, where Ukrainians and Romanians connected through food.
In 2023, as Timișoara became European Capital of Culture, Teodora Borghoff ensured the city’s Ukrainian residents were represented in cultural events. One initiative, the film project When Borders Get Indistinct, featured stories of forced migration from both Ukrainian refugees and Romanian minorities, fostering a deeper understanding of shared experiences.
WELDI partners sharing experiences on co-creation with migrants
Ongoing Challenges
Despite its successes, Timișoara faces significant challenges:
- Funding Gaps: With some international funding expiring after three years, critical after-school programs for Ukrainian children have been discontinued.
- Language Barriers: Limited funding for language courses hinders diploma recognition and integration. Strengthening local language support is a key goal in Timișoara’s Integrated Action Plan.
- Healthcare Access: Bureaucratic hurdles prevent effective healthcare access for Ukrainians, as many professionals lack knowledge about their rights. The city aims to train general practitioners to ensure proper inclusion in the system.
- Backlash against migration: like other European countries, Romania faces a political backlash against migration, with extremist narratives influencing public perception. The recent presidential election victory of a previously unknown pro-Russian, anti-migration candidate underscores the urgency of countering misinformation. This extends to the education system, where some Ukrainian children struggle to feel safe and respected.
Result of a story telling workshop with Ukrainian refugee children by LOGS to address anti-refugee prejudice
Countering Hate Narratives Through Engagement
Flavius Ilioni Loga of the NGO LOGS emphasized the power of facts and positive narratives in countering disinformation. “Even 10 likes are better than nothing” he said, stressing that it should not be left to extremists to define migration. LOGS also tackles prejudice through interactive initiatives and art projects that bring people together.
Flavius Ilioni sharing experiences from a myth-busting project
WELDI partners agreed on the necessity of a strong mobilisation, locally and internationally, to counteract what is a well-organised political hate-speech industry. In April, the network will host an expert to present the anti-rumor methodology, a tool promoted by the Spanish and European Intercultural Cities Networks to tackle misinformation.
New Migration, New Challenges
Even as Timișoara continues work on the integration of Ukrainian refugees, it now faces a new challenge: like many other central and Eastern European countries, Romanian companies have begun to massively recruit workers from Asia to address the labour shortages in local industries and services. These modern guest-workers present new challenges as many of them find themselves in situations of abuse and dependency of their employers - after often paying 1000s of Euros to recruitment companies. Loyal to its model, Timișoara is trying to find interlocutors in these new migrant communities to find ways to address human rights abuses.
A Resilient Model
The WELDI partners saw firsthand how its strong local network of actors makes Timișoara more resourceful in finding new solutions and resilient in withstanding an increasingly adverse global political context. Including migrants, wherever possible, as protagonists into this model, not only helps cities to mobilise community resources but can also be a key asset in changing the narrative on migration.