IOM staff provide emergency medical care to migrants after they disembark at the port in Tripoli, Libya. International Migrants Day: “My contribution to culture and development matters” Refugees and migrants
Migration is one of the defining trends of our time and continues to have a significant impact on global development. The UN reminds of this on International Migrants Day, which is celebrated on December 18.
The 2025 Theme “My Contributions to Culture and Development Matter” – emphasizes that human mobility remains a key driver of progress, strengthening economies and connections between communities.
Benefits and risks migration
In his message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that migration is a powerful engine of progress that promotes economic growth and the development of cultural ties, benefiting both the countries of origin of migrants and their receiving countries. Migrants play an important role in filling labor shortages, stimulating innovation and maintaining demographic resilience in many countries around the world. Meanwhile, remittances to low- and middle-income countries are projected to reach a record $685 billion. can only be fully realized through the safe, orderly and responsible management of migration. The UN Secretary-General stressed that when migration is poorly managed or misrepresented in public discourse, it can fuel hatred and division, putting the lives of people seeking safety and opportunity at risk.
Effective policies enable migrants to find stability, support their families, and build a new future, while host communities maintain social and economic resilience.
Defend the rights of migrants
Since 2014, nearly 70,000 migrants have died or gone missing in land and sea routes around the world, with actual figures likely to be significantly higher. Tightening border controls and increasing activities of smugglers and traffickers are particularly affecting the most vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
António Guterres recalled that seven years ago the international community adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, seeking to maximize the benefits of migration while coping with its challenges.
“We can and must turn the potential of migration to benefit sustainable development and building more resilient societies. The first step – is to challenge ideological assumptions that dehumanize migrants, and replace them with stories of solidarity,” – says the message of the head of the UN.
On this International Migrants Day, the UN calls for protecting the rights of every migrant and working together ensure that all resettlement processes take place in decent and safe conditions.