 Try to implement annual conference in Pompeo-Fabra and in Catalonia is a good opportunity to incorporate or influence most of the issues related to research and related to migration and Mediterranean which is the main topic of this conference. Pompeo-Fabra University is one of our oldest members it's a very loyal and active part of the MISCO research network so that's why we're very happy to have our annual conference here. The main objective of the MISCO is really to promote to help the development of migration studies in Europe. The idea of creating a Mediterranean migration research network is fantastic and groundbreaking. We need that more than ever in order to bridge the gap when it comes to migration policies in different parts of the Mediterranean. As researchers we have the responsibility to carry out research that really can inform and challenge policy. It's not just about buying into the discourse of policymakers but also challenging the way they understand the frame of migration. For politicians migration is an extremely difficult issue. What we hope in a MISCO is that we can provide not only evidence from the latest research but also a space for reflection on the evidence and analysis that can help to develop alternative perspectives. You cannot address any issue nowadays and let alone migration if you don't take account of the perspectives of north and south of origin and destination. Well migration is here to stay it's a permanent part of our future it brings many opportunities but it also brings challenges and we have to find ways to manage migration that maximise the opportunities but also address the challenges that it brings.