The International Organization for Migration (IOM), as the coordinator of the European Migration Network (EMN) in Slovakia, organised a Destination Europe workshop for students of the J.A. Gagarin Secondary School of Agrotechnics in Bernolákovo, Slovakia at the end of the 2024/25 school year. A total of 45 students experienced negotiations and decision-making in migration through the interactive learning tool.
Prior to the Destination Europe session, students took part in an interactive introduction covering migration in Slovakia and at international level. This part of the workshop gave them a clearer picture of why people migrate, what challenges they face, and how migration policies can shape these processes.
In a next step, students took on the roles of ministers, NGO representatives, local government officials, or local business owners using the educational learning tool Destination Europe. They discussed different situations, considered various options, and tried to find a common ground. Along the way, they often had to take into account conflicting views and different priorities to reach an agreement.
Feedback
Based on the students feedback it became clear that many of them were surprised how difficult it was to make a final decision when all arguments were on the table. What seemed like an obvious solution at first, often turned out to be more complicated when they considered all the details and listened to their peers’ viewpoints.
The workshop helped students gain a better understanding of how migration policy decisions can affect individuals and communities, and at the same time strengthened their communication, negotiation and critical thinking skills.
Photo © International Organization for Migration (IOM) 2025.
Destination Europe Promotional Video with subtitles in Slovak (other language versions are available on the EMN Luxembourg YouTube Channel)
EMN Slovakia organizes workshops on the topic of migration as part of which students can try the educational tool Destination Europe.
The workshop is divided into two sessions of 1,5 hours each, but the duration can also be adjusted according to the needs of a school or class. The workshops are free of charge.
EMN Slovakia will be glad to provide you with more information. Please contact them by e-mail: ncpslovakia@iom.int