About

The Civic Solidarity initiative was established within The Immigrant Times to foster solidarity within and across communities, regardless of size. Civic solidarity unites people around shared values and mutual responsibilities. It stands in opposition to ‘them and us’.

 

To promote civic solidarity, The Immigrant Times features Solidarity Towns and Cities, an analytical series reporting initially across Europe and later in other regions worldwide. Alongside this reporting, The Immigrant Times hosts the Solidarity Prize and Honours, celebrating communities where people from all backgrounds live and work together in harmony.

 

 

Solidarity Towns and Cities

This series examines immigration's impact on local communities and how residents, civic groups, and municipal authorities respond in practical, humanitarian ways.

 

National debates on immigration are often confined to political grandstanding and statistics. The day-to-day reality of reception, settlement, and integration, however, unfolds locally: in schools, at work, and in neighbourhoods.

 

In the Solidarity Towns and Cities series of studies, the authors visit communities to learn how they address newcomers' needs alongside residents' concerns. As the series' title suggests, each study examines in detail how civic decency, mutual aid, and administrative pragmatism help newly arrived immigrants integrate into and contribute to civic society.

 

At the same time, the series' authors acknowledge that in many communities, the arrival of people from different backgrounds and with different social norms can create strain and friction.

 

Communities identified as Solidarity Towns and Cities to date:

Spain (6); Eastern Germany (5); Italy (4); Sweden (4).

 

 

The Solidarity Prize

The Solidarity Prize recognises communities where people from all backgrounds live, work, and simply enjoy one another’s company in harmony.

 

Recognitions are awarded to communities of all sizes where residents have shown that, whether their neighbours are newly arrived immigrants, families with roots in other parts of the world, or locals whose ties span generations, they stand by one another.

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Public partnership & suggestions

The editors of IMT invite readers and members of the public to suggest places where civic solidarity matters.

 

If you live in or know of a community that should be featured in our Solidarity Towns and Cities reporting, or considered for a Solidarity Prize recognition, we welcome your suggestions. Please email the editor directly or share your thoughts via our Public Comments Page.

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Looking ahead

In 2026, Solidarity Towns and Cities focuses on Europe. In 2027, the series will expand to spotlight community-level initiatives in other regions worldwide.

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Further reading from The Immigrant Times: About & Contact || Questions & Comments || Solidarity Towns & Cities || The Solidarity Prize || Solidarity Prize Criteria ||

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