The Migration Conclave - 2024 aims to identify the potential role that the migrant community could play as a catalyst in Kerala's drive to become a Knowledge Economy. Human resources are lost during migration, but financial resources are also brought in, knowledge and technology are transferred, skills are improved, and jobs are created. The migrants would return to the coasts where they began to fertilise the period, just like turtles do.Can the Conclave's host district, Pathanamthitta District, lead the way in this innovative migration and development experiment? The district has a high migrant density, a higher percentage of western destinations, a more diverse and affluent mix of migrant occupations, and a comparably higher level of education and skill range. We fervently hope that the district administration, local governments and development agencies will take the cue and design an appropriate program as follow up of the conclave.
This enduring occurrence has wielded a profound influence on the world across centuries, beyond the shores of Kerala, in places such as Madras, Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi, and later by crossing the seas to Ceylon, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, America, and of course the Gulf countries, as well as Europe, Australia, and the United States. Now the diaspora has reached 175 countries out of 195. The good-sized history of emigration has played a pivotal role in shaping Kerala's economic framework and has been an integral part of its developmental aspirations.
