From integration to participation: sharing Germany's experience of how refugees are shaping communities

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presented a report "Good Practices for Refugee Inclusion and Participation", dedicated to best practices in integrating refugees into public life in Germany. These are not just stories about helping – they are stories about the power of cooperation, trust and opportunities that arise when refugees are seen not as passive recipients of help, but as equal participants in society.

Refugees as part of decision-making

One of the key messages of the report is Integration cannot be successful without the participation of refugees themselves.Many German cities have migration advisory councils that include representatives of refugee communities. In cities such as Hanover and Mannheim, they participate in the development of integration programs, influence social initiatives, and even comment on city budgets to take into account the needs of newcomers.

Initiatives from below: refugees for refugees

Many of the projects in the report focus on initiatives that have been launched the refugees themselves. These are support centers, cultural events, information platforms, social cafes. Such initiatives not only meet practical needs - they become a space for restoring dignity, self-organization and solidarity. For example, in Berlin, refugees have founded a public organization that provides legal advice to new arrivals, and in Cologne there is a cultural center where lectures, concerts and workshops are held, organized by the refugees themselves.

Cities that listen

Another strength of the German experience is inclusive local governanceIn a number of cities, the processes of planning housing, organizing leisure activities, training courses and integration activities are not carried out “for” refugees, but “with” them. This creates trust, reduces social tension and helps to avoid mistakes in policy implementation.

Partnership as the basis for success

The key factor in efficiency is intersectoral cooperationCities join forces with civil society organizations, educational institutions, religious communities, and refugees themselves. It is this interaction that allows not only to better identify needs, but also to respond flexibly to them.

Lessons for other countries

The UNHCR report shows: Inclusion is more than integration. It is about participation, co-responsibility, the right to a voice and an active role in common life. And most importantly, it is about the opportunity to regain control over one’s own life in a new country. For Ukraine, which today has the largest community of internally displaced persons in Europe, these examples can be a source of inspiration — both for communities abroad and for future recovery within the country.