City hosts asylum seeker summit

The event will look at asylum seekers and their social integration

A major conference on the integration of asylum seekers into Scottish society is to be held in Glasgow.

The event will take place in the city's Mitchell Library on Monday.

About 250 delegates will attend the Supporting Integration conference, which will include talks from human rights and equality experts.

Glasgow City Council, further education colleges, economic development companies and other support groups helped to organise the event.

Workshops on a variety of issues will also be staged on the day.

Councillor Irfan Rabbani, Glasgow City Council's equality spokesman, said the conference was an opportunity to showcase the most innovative integration work going on in Scotland.

Glasgow has amassed a tremendous amount of experience on integration issues Councillor Irfan Rabbani Glasgow City Council

Mr Rabbani said: "We have managed to assemble a very impressive and knowledgeable panel of speakers who will be able to talk with great authority on asylum and migration issues at the conference.

"Glasgow has amassed a tremendous amount of experience on integration issues since signing the contract to bring asylum seekers to the city in 2000.

"The ethnic profile of the city has changed considerably in the intervening years, especially with the added influx of people from European Union accession states.

"But this has been to Glasgow's benefit, addressing the issue of a falling population and boosting the economy while also enhancing the city's cultural diversity and vibrancy.

"We want interested parties to be able to tap into our experiences and for Glasgow to take the opportunity to learn from others."