The EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, accompanied by the European Union Ambassador to the Holy See, Martin Selmayr, met at Sant'Egidio with President Marco Impagliazzo, and a delegation of the Community. Migration and interreligious dialogue were the focus of the conversation.
Commissioner Brunner expressed his gratitude for the commitment of Sant'Egdiio and hoped for greater collaboration with the European Union. In particular, the meeting was an opportunity to take stock of the good practice of ‘humanitarian corridors’. A project started in 2016 by Sant'Egidio and Italian Protestants in collaboration with the Italian government, which was then extended to other European countries, including France and Belgium.
To date, through the humanitarian corridors, almost 9,000 vulnerable individuals (Syrian, Afghan, Eritrean, Sudanese, Somali, Congolese and other citizens) have arrived legally and safely in Europe, where they have been accompanied in the integration process until their full autonomy. This project, entirely supported also financially by the promoting organisations, represents a replicable model at European level, successfully combining solidarity and security.
Following the welcome and integration model already experimented by the Humanitarian Corridors, it was recently decided to implement the ‘Corridoi Lavorativi’ (Work Corridors) project for those who wish to find employment in Italy and contribute to the country's economic development. Behind the agreement is in fact the ever-increasing demand for foreign labour to meet the needs of companies and the social and health sector in our country.
