The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) is an initiative launched globally by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2016, where it takes the opportunity to feature films and documentaries that aim to deepen awareness and understanding of migration through film by capturing the promise and challenges as well as the unique contributions that migrants bring to their new host communities.

This year, the GMFF event was hosted by the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and took place on the 4^th of March, with the screening of a film called ‘The Climate Limbo’.

The film screened this year is a documentary that explores the links between climate change and migration – which is one of the most pressing problems currently facing the world. The film was followed by a panel discussion, bringing together four panelists, each representing their departments, including the departments of Art & Graphic Design, International Relations, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

“This year marks the sixth year of the IOM missions’ GMFF event organized in Kuwait, and we are proud to continue this collaboration for the fourth time with AUK.” said Mazen AboulHosn, IOM Kuwait’s Chief of Mission. “Through this screening and panel discussion, we hope to create awareness about the plight of climate change and migration and foster a greater understanding of the complex issues at hand”.

The event began with an introduction by one of the film directors of ‘The Climate Limbo’, Elena Brunello who said “Mainly when we talk about climate change, the majority of people started to think about something exotic and far away from where they live, and something related to the environment, and we really wanted to find a new perspective, a new narrative key, and focus more on humans. How does climate change impact the lives of human beings? and will we be forced to move from our homes, our land because we struggle with extreme climate events?”  

 Assistant professor of Graphic Design, Dr. Fahad Dhawi, highlighted the importance of such events, “We are honored to host GMFF once again on our campus.  At AUK, we believe in the power of education and dialogue to address pressing global issues, advocating for positive change. Through thought-provoking films like 'The Climate Limbo,' we aim to shed light on the intricate relationship between climate change and migration, fostering empathy and understanding among our community."

For decades, the IOM has been working with migrants and receiving communities to reduce prejudice and prevent xenophobia through the facilitation of positive interaction between migrants and host communities as well as targeted campaigns to promote a more balanced narrative on migration.

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For more information please contact: Dana Al-Othman at IOM Kuwait, Email: dalothman@iom.int