On Thursday 11 December, 122 refugees, more than half of whom are minors, will arrive at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino on a flight from Tripoli organised by UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency.
Their arrival in Italy has been made possible by an agreement between the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UNHCR, Arci and the Community of Sant’Egidio, signed in December 2023. To date, 659 people have arrived safely. The refugees, who come from Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea, will be hosted in various Italian regions by the Community of Sant’Egidio (53 people), Arci (30 people) and through the Reception and Integration System (39 people).
Humanitarian corridors are a civil society initiative, providing a clear example that it is possible to combine a safe alternative to sea crossings – and therefore human trafficking – with reception and integration. Through this best practice, which could become a model for states and the entire European Union, 7,269 refugees have been welcomed to Italy since February 2016.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, 11 December
at Terminal 5 of Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino
a welcome ceremony for the refugees and a press conference with the participation of:
Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio;
Valentina Itri, Coordinator of the ARCI National Immigration Office;
Filippo Ungaro, spokesperson for UNHCR Italy;
representatives of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The event will also be streamed on santegidio.org and on social media channels of the Community of Sant’Egidio.