The creation of the "Experimental Observatory on International Migrations in Urban Areas of Latin America" has been conceived as a mean for undertaking further research on South-to-South international migration in Latin America, an area with which Università Iuav di Venezia has a long experience of scientific collaboration and intercultural exchange.

The "Experimental" character of the Observatory arises from the need for testing, by analysing a limited but meaningful number of case studies, a methodology to monitor efficiently both the dimension of international urban migration and the level of public/political interest that the phenomenon raises. The research thus intends to start-up the Experimental Observatory with the analysis of three cities (Tijuana in Mexico, Sao Paulo in Brazil and Santiago in Chile), with the aim of raising enough national and international interest to foster other cities to participate to the initiative in the future.

Analysis will be based on the systematic collection of available data and on the monitoring of the evolution of both the normative framework and the on-going debate on international migration in the three selected cities. At the same time, in order to have sound terms of comparison, the most innovative practices for the management of the phenomenon in Europe and Canada will be also monitored and critically analysed.

The main support to the research project will be the Observatory web-site, which will allow involved researchers to constantly collaborate on line and will represent an important space for dialogue and information, accessible to both interested stakeholders and the public in general.

The principal mean for diffusing the research results and raising awareness about emerging migration trends will be the organisation of both local and international seminars bringing together researchers, policy makers, NGOs’ representative and other interested stakeholders.