Refugees: 29th May – new arrivals via humanitarian corridors

ITALIAN VERSION

NEV Agency

On Tuesday 29th May 75 refugees, 35 of whom are less than 14 years old, will arrive at Fiumicino airport (Rome) from Lebanon, thanks to the humanitarian corridors promoted by the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI), Tavola Valdese and Comunità di Sant’Egidio by agreement with the Italian Ministries of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs.  These Syrian refugees will add to the 1,500 people who have already arrived safely and legally in Italy, France and Belgium since February 2016.  After months, and often years, spent in refugee camps in situations of extreme vulnerability and without any prospect of children attending school, the refugees will – thanks to the generosity of the many Italians who have offered their homes to associations, parishes and diaconal bodies –be welcomed to our country and put on pathways to integration through language tuition and employment opportunities.  The project is entirely self-funded by the entities promoting it.

The welcome for the Syrian refugees and press conference at Fiumicino are scheduled to take place at 11.00am on Tuesday 29th May, journalists to arrive no later than 10.00am at Departures in Fiumicino’s Terminal 3 (gate 3, beside the information office) to be accompanied to the conference area.

Speakers will include Marco Impagliazzo, president of the Comunità di Sant’Egidio, and Paolo Naso for the FCEI and the Methodist and Waldensian churches, together with representatives of the Ministries of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs.

In order to obtain the necessary accreditation, send an email to the following address: nev@fcei.it indicating your news organisation and professional registration number or other form of i.d.  It will be possible to use the multi-storey car park (a special ticket for exiting will be made available upon accreditation).