This morning, on a flight from Athens, 48 people arrived in Italy thanks to the Humanitarian Corridors of the Community of Sant’Egidio. Belonging to different nationalities – Afghanistan, Cameroon, Congo, Iraq, Syria and Somalia – they spent long periods in the refugee camps of the Greek islands, including that of Moria, in Lesbos, recently visited by Pope Francis during his trip to Greece and Cyprus.
They are asylum seekers fleeing wars and extreme situations, who have faced dangerous journeys from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, suffering violence and abuse.
Overall, thanks to the Humanitarian Corridors – an entirely self-financed project – 4400 refugees have safely arrived in Europe, of which more than 3600 in Italy.