Visit MEP Assita Kanko
18 May 2026
Last Friday, 15 May, we welcomed MEP Assita Kanko to the Migration Museum. The visit focused on the project we have been working on for some time now, in collaboration with Jongerenwerking Foyer and the BruWest police zone. It is a project centred on something that is more important today than ever: meeting one another, listening and building trust.
Open dialogue and building trust are central to this project. A visit to the museum has now become a fixed part of the training for new police recruits. During the visit, the officers are introduced to stories about migration, identity, exclusion and solidarity. These are themes that are very much alive in Brussels and are also relevant to their daily work on the streets. In addition, the recruits engage in conversation with youth workers from the neighbourhood. An open debate in which experiences and ideas can be shared. By engaging in dialogue with one another, tensions between the police and young people can be prevented, and together we build a pleasant and safe atmosphere in the municipality.
During Ms Kanko’s visit, Ayoub Ben Abdeslam (Jongerenwerking Foyer) and Didier Demelin (Chief Superintendent of the BruWest police zone) spoke with her about how the project came about and the impact it is already having today. The mutual exchange between young people and the police fosters greater understanding on both sides. Stereotypes are breaking down and mutual respect is growing.
For us, this project is a conscious choice to build bridges between people who sometimes rarely meet in person. The museum thus becomes a place for dialogue. We are proud of this collaboration between Foyer, the youth work programme, the Migration Museum and the BruWest police zone. We therefore see Assita Kanko’s visit as a wonderful recognition of the work being done here.
