by Stefania Summermatter, swissinfo.ch

Some fled from a country torn by war. Others were following the dream of a better future: a job, a home, a family.

The Africa Diaspora Council Switzerland is an opportunity to share hopes and frustrations (africancouncil.ch)

With the exception of South Sudan, which has been independent only since July 2011, all 54 states of the world’s second-most populous continent are represented. Together they represent about 3.5 per cent of the foreign resident population here.

“African immigration is a rather recent phenomenon in Switzerland which experienced a significant development in the past 20-30 years,” explained the sociologist Denise Efionayi, author of a study on the Sub-Saharan diaspora published by the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies (SFM).

“This is a heterogeneous community, with extremely varied cultural, linguistic and religious affiliations. ‘African’ identity for these migrants is often defined negatively in response to a common migratory pattern and experiences of discrimination and marginality.”

In the eyes of many Swiss, these migrants are simply Africans. It matters little where they come from; whether they are Christian or Muslim, or speak French, English or Arabic.

It’s a prejudice which needs to be corrected, certainly, but one which the African diaspora is now trying to turn to its own advantage, playing down national barriers so as to speak with a single voice.

Earlier this month, several hundred Africans met in Bern to get to know each other, engage in dialogue, and share their hopes and frustrations.

The congress was organised by the African Diaspora Council Switzerland (ADCS) which intends to act as an umbrella for the hundreds of African associations, small businesses and places of worship now active around the country.

The aim is to improve the image of this community of migrants which is too often associated with problems like illegal immigration, drug dealing and violence.

read more on SWISSINFO