On Monday, 8 May 2017 from 6-8 pm,  the TOGETHER campaign organized a side event on the Margin of the first thematic consultation of the Global Compact on Migration. Under the title, "A conversation on the role of local authorities in promoting the inclusion of refugees and migrants", the event  counted with the participation of Michael Moller, Director General of UN Geneva,  H. E. Ambassador Jürg Lauber of Switzerland, H.E. Ambassador Juan José Gómez Camacho of Mexico, H. E. Ambassador Serra of Italy, and Ms. Louise Arbour, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on International Migration and Secretary-General of the International Conference on Migration. 

The initial introductions were followed by a short panel discussion featuring Ambassador Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration, Ms. Anastasia Crickley, Chair of the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and two representatives from Civil Society Lisa Goode and Abdullatif Alabdullah, who co-founded the Thrive Association, which helps connect refugees with employers and citizens to facilitate their access to the job market and ease their integration into Geneva. The panel discussion concluded with a short video message provided by Mr. Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen and winner of the 2016 World Mayor Prize. The event counted with the attendance of over 200 participants and contributed to the ongoing discussion of the importance of social inclusion of refugees and migrants, placing the TOGETHER campaign at the centre of this debate.