On Wednesday 6 November 2024, 38 Syrian refugees arrived at Brussels-National Airport through the Humanitarian Corridors organised by the Community of Sant'Egidio in Belgium since 2018. They are now safe and legally welcomed in the country after living under bombs in Lebanon. Their arrival was accompanied by applause and flowers, a symbol of hope and rebirth.
These Syrian families will be welcomed by different communities in Antwerp, Brasschaat, Brussels, Chastre, Schaerbeek, Orp-Jauche, Turnhout, Werbomont and Zemst. Local groups of volunteers will take care of reception, assistance with asylum applications and, eventually their integration into society. A team of professionals will help to ensure effective and structured support.
An agreement with the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration in Belgium made the project possible. ‘Sant'Egidio hopes that this life-saving project can continue with the next government. Safe and legal entry routes for vulnerable persons entitled to international protection are an important model for the future!' reads the press release of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Belgium.
Thanks to the Sant'Egidio Humanitarian Corridors project, 355 refugees have been received in Belgium in the last six years. Many of them have been granted asylum and successfully integrated into Belgian society. Altogether, more than 8,000 refugees have been received in different European countries.
