Published on June 20, 2024
Published on June 20, 2024
June 19, 2024
Regional Charity Office
More clarity and greater commitment and cooperation in the dialogue between the Caritas of the Churches of Sicily and Caritas Tunis. This is one of the results obtained from the meeting in the diocesan headquarters of Caritas in Caltanissetta between a Tunisian delegation and the directors of Caritas of Sicily which allowed us to deepen mutual knowledge and plan the next steps of the shared path. The Tunisian delegation, in Sicily since 17 June, is made up of the bishop emeritus of Tunis, Msgr. Ilario Antoniazzi, from the director of Caritas Tunis, sr. Speciosa Mukagatare, and two operators from Caritas Tunis, Enrica Gilardo and Amine Bahri.
Yesterday at the meeting with the regional commission of the Cesi Office for Charity, the directors of all 18 Sicilian diocesan Caritas were present, coordinated by the regional delegate Domenico Leggio, and Don Giuseppe Rabita, director of the CESi Pastoral Secretariat.
We discussed the problems faced by the Tunisian people, but also what has been implemented so far and the proposals that, as the Regional Delegation of Caritas Sicily, we wish to carry forward together with Caritas of Tunisia. In particular, on the table of dialogue, the Tunisian presence in Sicily and the activities carried out in their support by the Sicilian Caritas, especially those who find themselves living in conditions of great economic and social fragility and labor exploitation, often without documents.
We discussed the push/pull factors of migration from Tunisia, the trafficking of foreign minors and possible shared actions.
The Tunisian delegation’s visit to Sicily has already included a meeting with the diocesan Caritas of Noto – at the Friars Minor Convent of Ispica and with the participation of the bishop of Noto Msgr. Salvatore Rumeo – dedicated to the Tunisian reality in the territory and to the experience of the “Volere Volare” educational site. Then, to Acate, Ragusa, to learn about the experience of the Presidio Project. The meeting also continued with the diocesan Caritas of Palermo and the visit to the Mission of Hope and Charity founded by Biagio Conte, where the Tunisian community collaborated for the construction of a chapel.
Some data on the presence of Tunisians in some of the dioceses of Sicily, divided by Province; these are official data, but the numbers are probably higher. Province of Agrigento = 1,146; Province of Caltanissetta = 389; Province of Catania = 1,225; Province of Enna = 164; Province of Messina = 857; Province of Palermo = 1,605; Province of Ragusa = 9,260; Province of Syracuse = 1,440; Province of Trapani = 6,896.
The total is 22,982 attendance.
