ROME, JUNE 20 – Italy never stood back away from rescuing refugees: “The protection of human life, their rescue, the support of those suffering in humanitarian crises, the reception of the most vulnerable. These are commitments that the Italian Republic, alongside the European Union and international organizations, has never subtracted itself from,” said the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, in occasion of the World Refugee Day celebrated worldwide on June 20th.
“According to the United Nations High Commissioner, today more than 80 million people are displaced and on the run. The High Commissioner is, to date, protecting nearly 100 million individuals,” added Mattarella. The Pope, speaking at the Angelus, also brought attention to World Refugee Day, while the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs praised initiatives such as the Humanitarian Corridors sponsored by Christian Ngos i collaboration with the Italian government. Meanwhile, a UNICEF survey found that, in Italy, 80% of young migrants are victims or witnesses of racist incidents. Furthermore, the ten cities of Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo and Turin, lit up in blue today to mark the occasion: from Palazzo Re Enzo in the Emilia-Romagna capital, to the Mole Antonelliana in Piedmont, passing through the Teatro Massimo in Palermo and the Maschio Angioino in Naples.
Many Italian celebrities joined UNHCR on this important day. Greta Scarano, protagonist of the official spot for the Together we can make a difference – Together we can do anything campaign aimed at asking for the full inclusion of refugees, across all spheres of society, from work, to study, to sport. Alessandro Gassmann -UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador- Lino Guanciale, Lorena Bianchetti and Mia Ceran furthermore organized a social media takeover, giving four refugees -Hanna, Ahmed, Rahmat and Joy- the chance of telling their stories. (@OnuItalia)
