On the Road with Hello Europe Tour

A journey across the continent to spotlight stories, solutions, and systemic change for and with people on the move

Migration is often framed as a challenge. But what if we flipped the script—and saw it as a force for innovation, leadership, and belonging?

That’s exactly what the Hello Europe Tour set out to do. Born from Ashoka’s Hello World initiative, the tour travels across Europe, spotlighting the people and places reimagining migration from the ground up. It’s not just a series of events—it’s a movement where migrants are recognized as changemakers,

Rethinking Migration Through Social Innovation: Vienna

Our journey began in Vienna, asking: How the intersection of migration and social innovation unlock positive change for Europe and beyond?

Co-hosted by Ashoka Austria and Razumovsky Forum, we gathered social innovators, Ashoka Fellows, Young Changemakers, business leaders, policy makers, media professionals and academics—many with lived migration experience—to explore narratives that empower rather than exclude.

“For years, nationalist xenophobic parties have framed migration as (a) a problem, (b) something unsolvable, and (c) a source of chaos if left unchecked. The reality is quite different: migration has always existed, it is part of who we are, and while it cannot be stopped, it can be managed far more effectively.”
Gonzalo Fanjul, porCausa Foundation, Ashoka Fellow

Vienna reminded us that reimagining migration isn’t just about policy shifts—it’s about changing mindsets, building human connections, and creating new alliances across sectors and borders. The ideas shared here aren’t just reflections; they’re calls to action. Whether you’re a policymaker, a social entrepreneur, a journalist, or someone with lived experience of migration, your voice matters. Together, we can rewrite the story—and shape a future where migration is seen not as a problem to solve, but as a powerful force for collective progress.

What happens when you let people on the move lead the story

From Vienna, the tour rolled into London, where the focus turned to how we shift migration narratives. What innovative solutions are emerging? And how do we turn migration into an engine for unity, not conflict? In partnership with Ashoka UK & Ireland, and Wales Week in London, we explored migration through social innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and powerful storytelling.

“We want to move beyond survival—our goal is to empower young migrants to thrive in the professional world.”
Elham Fardad, Migrant Leaders

The conversations in UK & Wales reminded us that real integration goes beyond goodwill—it requires systemic change, bold leadership, and collaboration across every sector. From business to policy to storytelling, each piece plays a critical role in shaping a future where migration is met with dignity, opportunity, and shared benefit.

One of the stories that brought hope involved Wales, which has emerged as a leader in migration policies through its Nation of Sanctuary vision—a model that sets it apart from other regions due to realistic, human oriented policies and partnerships to make Wales a welcoming place for people on the move. It is proving successful, despite some difficult circumstances, thanks in part to strong grassroots mobilization and government collaboration. This model offers a glimpse of what’s possible when communities commit to inclusion—not just in words, but in action. Now, the challenge is to scale these efforts, deepen alliances, and keep pushing for a world where sanctuary and opportunity go hand in hand.

“We’re not just telling stories. We’re shifting power.”
Sabiha Azad, Coalition Coordinator at Sanctuary Coalition Cymru

Migration & Collective Action in Paris

On the third stop of the Hello Europe Tour, we spent some time in Paris, along with the European participants of Hello World’s Ecosystem Accelerator on Migrant Talent. We spent time with social entrepreneurs, artists, policymakers, corporate leaders and migrant entrepreneurs to reimagine what collaborative action might look like in the field of migration. We had the chance to join Ashoka France’s leader Elsa Da Costa and Sarah Durieaux (author and former lead of Change.org in France) presenting the book, Militer a tout prix? We spoke about the need to build strong and caring communities in resistance to some of the current narratives and, frankly, attacks on migration. Indeed, although innovation and great initiatives are needed, the priority at moments of great stress in the system should revolve around building strong relationships and networks for change where people can be cared for in order to endure in the long run. This was a confirmation of the increasing sense we have as an organization to take on a role of convening and connecting key stakeholders in the sector to aim for a common goal.

Next Stop: Milan - Reimagining Migration in Urban Spaces

We're heading to Milan on October 22nd for Changemaker Days 2025— exploring how cities can become engines of inclusion, with migrant youth leading the way.

In partnership with Ashoka Italy, we’re hosting an interactive session that brings together leaders from social innovation, business, policy, media, and academia. Through a curated panel and participatory dialogue, we’ll surface real stories from those building bridges across generations and borders, and spotlight collaborations that challenge exclusion and unlock belonging in urban spaces.

Our head of Policy, Laura Batalla, will host a conversation with Fatima Zahra El Maliani, Alfonso Molina, Stefano Rovelli, and a representative from the Municipality of Milan, we’ll co-create a conversation that embraces complexity, uplifts migrant agency, and advances collective action toward a more just and connected Europe.

If you’re in town, join us to reimagine how cities and communities can welcome, empower, and thrive together.

A tour that mirrors the Hello World narrative

This isn’t just a road trip—it’s a living expression of the Hello World vision: Every migrant a changemaker. Everywhere. All the time.

At every stop, we’re surfacing what’s already working—from city policy experiments to youth-led campaigns, from social innovation to collective storytelling. And we’re doing it by lifting local voices, celebrating community-led efforts, and pushing for paradigm shifts:

From migrants as beneficiaries → to migrants as leaders
From migration as a crisis → to migration as a shared experience
From top-down solutions → to community-driven innovation

But the real engine of this tour? You

While we gather in each city to explore solutions, the true power of this tour comes from you: the community builders, storytellers, and changemakers shaping migration on the ground. This blog post—and the entire Hello Europe Tour—is meant to reflect your voice.

We want to co-create this journey with you: local organizers, partners, participants, and community members.

If you joined one of our events—or helped make it happen—we want to hear from you. Your insight, your story, your vision.

Here are a few prompts to inspire you:

What moment shifted your view on migration during the tour?
How are people on the move driving change in your city or community?
What stories should we share with the rest of Europe—and the world?

Send us your quote, photo, or reflection. We’ll weave your voice into the next chapter of the story.

This is just the beginning

The Hello Europe Tour is more than a celebration—it’s a growing movement. A call to rethink the systems, shift the stories, and reshape the structures that define migration across Europe and beyond.

So stay tuned. More stops, more stories, more changemaking to come.
And if we’re heading your way, we can’t wait to meet you.

Let’s stay connected

The Hello Europe Tour is just one part of a larger movement, aimed at rethinking migration as a force for good. Join us, stay engaged, and share your ideas with the Hello Europe community. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our ongoing initiatives, reach out to us.

Help us celebrate impactful changemakers by nominating a changemaker for migration here.

Uncover our visionary framework of four paradigms emerging in the field of migration.

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