As part of the broader initiative "Contributions of International Migration to Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean”, ECLAC and UNESCO carried out a SenseMaker study to gain insights into the relationship between cultural experiences and the process of integration of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Peru.
Peru is home to 1.5 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants that find themselves in either permanent or transitional states within cities forming the migration corridor to the south of the country. Notably, this group constitutes the largest immigrant community in Peru, accounting for more than 80% of the foreign population.
Voices That Count, in collaboration with SIA Desarrollo, guided the development, implementation and analysis of the SenseMaker study. The study focused on collecting experiences and perspectives of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, with the aim of comprehending their roles as cultural agents and the impact they have on the socio-cultural integration within their host cities and communities. The study was carried out in Peru's two major cities, Lima and Arequipa, with Venezuelan cultural agents taking the lead in collecting the stories and narratives of their peers. Additionally, a strategic communication plan was designed to promote a more explicit recognition of the positive contributions of migration and collective culture.
This comprehensive study aims to support the construction of theoretical frameworks around the concepts of cultural agents and cultural resilience and generated valuable insights into how cultural experiences play a vital role in the socio-cultural integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees.
The official publication of the study and execution of the communication strategy is to be released in 2024.
"It was gratifying on a personal level to be considered to be part of this study. I am sure that every artist and culturist throughout their career has endless stories to tell, and it is comforting to know that each and every one of them was heard and taken into account to strengthen cultural work at the regional and national level". Rohony - Venezuelan musician
