Mercy marks International Migrants Day with a focus on Video Games and Immersive Media

In December, the NGO Committee on Migration hosted its fourth annual International Migrants Day event in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations. The program explored how video games and immersive media can foster empathy, social cohesion, and inclusive storytelling in the context of migration.

Cecilie Kern, Mercy Global Action’s Global Policy and Research Advocate and Chair of the NGO Committee on Migration, was one of the main organizers of the event and moderated the panel discussion. The gathering, attended by diplomats, UN officials, civil society leaders, and creative technologists, highlighted the transformative potential of interactive storytelling to reshape migration narratives worldwide.

Opening the event Cecilie said: “Migration is, at its heart, a human story - one of hope, resilience, and opportunity. Yet, too often, public narratives focus on division and fear rather than connection. We have needed art, creativity, and solidarity more than ever to resist criminalisation and cruelty towards people on the move, to reclaim narratives grounded in dignity and justice, to realize the commitments made in multilateral spaces, and to push for real implementation and impact in our communities.”

Cecilie went on to say: “Through visual art, sound, music, narrative, and gameplay, [video] games invite us to step into someone else’s story - to experience the world from a different perspective and, in doing so, to expand our own. They are not only spaces of recreation, but also of reflection and connection - where players can imagine hope amid hardship, resilience amid adversity, and community amid division.”

Speakers shared inspiring examples of how creative technologies are being used to tell underrepresented stories, support newcomers as they integrate into new communities, and promote balanced, evidence-based narratives about migration. The discussion brought together three innovators whose work bridges creativity, technology, and human connection:

Lual Mayen, CEO of Junub Games and Global Gaming Citizen Award recipient, shared his journey from growing up in a refugee camp in Uganda to developing Salaam, a video game that immerses players in the realities of displacement while highlighting resilience and peacebuilding.

Karla Reyes, Founder and Creative Director of Anima Interactive, discussed her upcoming interactive narrative, Take Us North, which centers on migration stories co-created with affected communities. She emphasized that games offer agency, which helps players better understand the moral and emotional dimensions of migration.

Christina Field, Program Manager for New Americans Services at Samaritas, joined virtually from Michigan. She presented how virtual reality is being used to empower refugees and newcomers, providing job training and digital literacy while also helping host communities deepen empathy and understanding.

Speakers also reflected on the role of cultural and technological innovation in achieving the aims of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. As the international community prepares for the 2026 International Migration Review Forum, Mercy International Association continues to promote collaboration between governments, UN partners, NGOs, and creative industries to turn shared commitments into tangible impact. As our work continues, we remain inspired by the powerful role of creativity - and the creative spirit of migrants themselves - in shaping a more inclusive world for all.

ENDS