A two-month-old girl among them, born in the Pournara refugee camp in Cyprus
Fourteen people have arrived from Cyprus this morning thanks to the humanitarian corridors of the Community of Sant'Egidio. Also a two-month-old girl with her parents and some former unaccompanied minors, who have recently turned 18. Forced to flee due to wars affecting several African countries, such as Somalia and Cameroon, they spent a long time in the refugee camp of Pournara, near the capital Nicosia, visited by Pope Francis during his trip to Cyprus in December 2021.
Last July and August, the Community of Sant'Egidio organised a 'summer of solidarity': in fact, about two hundred Italians and Europeans spent their holidays with the refugees.
A 'Friendship Tent' was set up near the camp, where every day people could have dinner together, and children could study and play.
It was then possible to get to know the migrants, their stories, and to start the path to support their desire for safe emigration and a decent future. Some of them, during the summer, volunteered in the Community's solidarity activities. Today they met again the friends who had shared their hopes.
The families and individuals, welcomed this morning at Fiumicino, will be immediately introduced to integration by learning Italian, which some of the asylum seekers have already begun to pick up as they attended language courses held by Sant'Egidio volunteers in Cyprus last summer.
The young people arrived today join the many refugees received through the Humanitarian Corridors. This system, entirely self-financed and implemented thanks to a widespread reception network, has brought 6261 refugees to Europe, over 5400 to Italy.
