On Monday, 29 February 2016, on the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of the Interior, the Sant’Egidio Community, the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI) and the Waldensian Board, 93 refugees, including 41 children, benefiting from a resettlement programme and originating from UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) camps in Lebanon, will be arriving at Rome Fiumicino airport.
In view of their vulnerable condition, the 24 families have obtained a humanitarian and limited territoriality visa issued by the Italian Embassy in Lebanon. The refugees come from the cities of Homs, Idlib and Hama. On arrival in Italy, they will be transferred to different locations.
This is a pilot project which, within the framework of an agreement reached in mid-December by the Italian Government, the Sant’Egidio Community, the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI) and the Waldensian Board, involves the arrival of around a thousand refugees over two years.
Press representatives interested in attending the press conference (11.30 a.m.) which will be held, in the presence of the refugee families, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni, together with the Deputy Minister Mario Giro, the Head of the Civil Liberties Department of the Ministry of the Interior, Prefect Mario Morcone, the President of the Sant’Egidio Community, Professor Marco Impagliazzo, the President of the Federation of Protestan Churches in Italy, Pastor Luca Maria Negro and the Moderator of the Waldensian Board Eugenio Bernardini, must arrive at Terminal 5, Fiumicino Airport, at 11.00 a.m.
For press accreditation, a request must be sent as soon as possible, attaching a copy of an identity document, to the ADR Press Office, Francesco Albertario: albertario.f@adr.it (tel. 335/1753281)
