Migration is said to be the number one political issue in Europe. It is a divisive issue between EU member states and for the citizens at large. The 2018 United Nations Pact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration has unexpectedly triggered a new round of protests and discontents within Europe, albeit the need for a global effort to improving cooperation on international migration is larger than ever. Anti-EU populism across the continent looks set to take advantage of the upcoming European Parliament elections to expand its power in the policy-making process not only on migration but also the future direction of European integration. Arguably, the migrant crisis in Europe has threatened the post-war liberal order with a geopolitics of emotions.

This talk first goes over the meanings of ethnic and cultural identity, and then explores ethnic and cultural identity in Hong Kong. Can a South Asian who has grown up in Hong Kong be a Hongkonger?  Can an African asylum seeker be a Hongkonger?  Can a mainland Chinese graduate student at CUHK be a Hongkonger?   Can I be a Hongkonger?  What is a Hongkonger?  On the basis of extensive discussion among all present at the talk, we then analyze how ethnic and cultural identity are increasingly not given but chosen, as choices from a global cultural supermarket.  What, then, does this mean for the future of Hong Kong as a global/Chinese metropolis?

Scientifically, it is still debatable as to whether Africa is the origin of humanity. Although there are many documents that allude to this notion, others have assumed otherwise. Whether this is a myth or reality, that fact that Africa has seen its share of exodus from the continent cannot be disputed. In recent times, the migration out of Africa has assumed a new dimension. This trend is posing challenges to a continent full of resources and to destinations with historical connection either as colonialists or trade partners. In current times, Africa has also acquired new partners like China and India with aid and trade as items of discussion in addition to its traditional partners in this new scramble for Africa. What is the situation like on the African continent? What has it got to contribute to the global commons? In fact, who are the Africans? What are the challenges and prospects for prosperity? Seen as the last frontier of development, this presentation will seek to discuss the myths, identify the realities and highlight the challenges that confront the African continent. In conclusion, the prospects and potentials of Africa as an emerging destination of note, will be discussed.