Europe is composed of immensely diverse people, whether migrants or natives. Each person is unique in his/her own right, with different skills, personalities, attributes, backgrounds, among other things, and each of these differences compiled is what gives Europits spark, its competitive edge and creativity. All too often, however, the diversity of Europe is not always perceived in positive terms, but rather from a position of doom, of feeling threatened and/or insecure as a result of the many cultural, social, political and economic differences existing in Europe. As intercultural dialogue and efforts to promote and value diversity run counter to anti-immigrant rhetoric and fearful publics, immigration critics are held hostage by their xenophobic thinking. This results in the marginalisation of the foreign-born as well as EU citizens with a migrant background, or a “visible characteristic of difference”.

At the same time, high unemployment across much of the continent leads to the exacerbation of fears and results in many actually blaming migrants for the financial crisis and their seemingly insecure predicament. The reality, however, is quite different. For one, despite the high unemployment, too many employers actually lack the workers they need to fill positions in certain job sectors.

This is hardly surprising in a society experiencing progression in population ageing and declining birth rates, dynamics which strongly argue that migrants are indeed part of the solution to Europe’s economic and demographic challenges. While the economic aspect of migration has drawn some recent public attention, the personal and social dimensions have not been recognised or valued in the same way; and yet, they are part of the elements that integration policies should take into account. With this publication, ENAR thus seeks to address this mismatch of information about migrants and ethnic and religious minorities by showing evidence of the many talents they all contribute to European society. This publication tells the story of minorities’ and migrants’ talents and the ways in which they are enriching Europeans, both materially and in more symbolic and qualitative ways. It also highlights, by contrast, the uncalculated losses incurred by failing to recognise and value these innumerable talents.

By documenting and shedding new light on some of the diverse contributions migrants make to European society and the economy, Hidden Talents, Wasted Talents? also forms part of ENAR’s progressive narrative on equality and diversity.

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