191 Afghan refugees arrived in Fiumicino yesterday on a flight from Islamabad thanks to the humanitarian corridors promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference (through Caritas Italiana), Community of Sant’Egidio, Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, Tavola Valdese, Arci, d agreement with the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs.
In a note, Caritas Italiana informs that Afghan citizens, refugees in Pakistan since August 2021, will be immediately transferred to different regions and started towards integration, starting from learning the language and job placement, thanks to a totally paid by the proposing bodies, supported by some NGOs, including Solidaire, which contributed to the organization of the flight from Pakistan, Fondazione Pangea and Nove Onlus, which for months secured part of the families in their safe houses. The refugees will be welcomed in houses and structures made available by the diocesan Caritas, the Community of Sant’Egidio, the Italian Protestant Churches, the Arci clubs, as well as Italian associations and citizens, who have offered their apartments to host them. As regards the Caritas network, the dioceses involved are Catania, Milan and Oppido Mamertina Palmi, which will take care of 21 people.
With this arrival – it is specified in the note – Caritas Italiana concludes its commitment to safely transfer over 300 Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Turkey in two years. “Many families with children – it is underlined – in recent years have found security and serenity in Italy and Europe, after long periods of precariousness lived in fear and hiding. For some of them, work corridors have been activated which can be considered an evolution of the humanitarian corridors. Thanks to this further opportunity, the refugees have had a faster and more effective integration, in addition to the fact that it has been possible to respond to the needs of companies that have proven sensitive to the issue”. Caritas highlights that “above all, humanitarian corridors give dozens of communities the opportunity to become active in reception. This means growing in humanity, enhancing the resources of the territory, opening up to a global vision, fully doing one’s part”. “Shortly – concludes the note – new humanitarian and labor corridors will open from Jordan to give strength and legs to an intuition that over time has transformed into a project that can become a European model”.
