Marco Impagliazzo: Italy to take the lead in Europe in humanitarian corridors, a model of reception and integration for those in need of humanitarian protection
“Italy should take the lead in Europe regarding the humanitarian corridors, a project that is no longer experimental, but consolidated, and propose it to the entire European Union as a model of reception and integration for those in need of humanitarian protection”. These are the words of Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio, who this morning welcomed 152 Afghan refugees, who came from Pakistan with the humanitarian corridors, thanks to a protocol with the Italian State and the collaboration of the Italian Embassy in Islamabad. Also welcoming the refugees were Msgr. Giuseppe Baturi, Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Libero Ciuffreda, member of the FCEI Council, and Filippo Miraglia, national immigration manager of Arci.
The whole of Italy is celebrating your arrival, welcomes you, and wants to provide a future, through a home, school, and work, to families to whom war seemed to have denied it. In August 2021, when the borders of Afghanistan closed, we made a promise: we will not forget you! We have not forgotten you and have prepared a home for you. Today we are happy to welcome you. Help us to build a common future here in Italy, said Impagliazzo.
The Afghan citizens, some of whom have been refugees in Pakistan for more than a year, will be welcomed by associations, religious congregations, communities, and individual citizens in different regions of Italy and will participate in an integration process: for the minors through immediately enrolment in schools and for the adults, immediately with learning the Italian language and, once refugee status has been obtained, integration into employment. The humanitarian corridors, entirely self-financed by the proposing organizations and supported by the generosity and commitment of many Italian citizens, represent a best practice that combines solidarity and security. On the whole, with this system, thanks to a widespread reception network, more than 5,300 refugees have arrived in Europe, in addition to more than 1,800 Ukrainian citizens, welcomed by the Community of Sant’Egidio in various European countries. Other arrivals in Rome from Lebanon and Libya are expected in the coming days.
