A group of 49 Syrian refugees, including 17 children and adolescents, have arrived in Italy from Beirut, resettled under the Humanitarian Corridors program. These families, who had been living in camps in the Bekaa Valley, the Akkar region, and on the outskirts of Beirut, landed at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on May 30.
The refugees fled to Lebanon from war-torn cities in Syria such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs. Their arrival in Italy was facilitated by the Humanitarian Corridors initiative, a collaboration between the Community of Sant’Egidio, the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, and the Waldensian Evangelical Church, in partnership with the Italian Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since its inception in 2016, the Humanitarian Corridors program has successfully rescued approximately 3,000 people from Lebanon alone. Across Europe, this initiative has helped around 7,200 refugees.
At the airport, the atmosphere was festive as the refugees were greeted with hugs, tears, and smiles. Children excitedly yelled “Viva l’Italia” (Hurray for Italy) and were welcomed with colorful balloons and the sound of drums played by Sant’Egidio volunteers. Some experienced emotional reunions with family members who had arrived earlier through the same program.
The new arrivals will be hosted in homes provided by Italian families and associations across nine regions: Lazio, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lombardy, Piedmont, Puglia, Tuscany, and Veneto.
Marco Impagliazzo, president of the Community of Sant’Egidio, emphasized the significance of the Humanitarian Corridors. “These people were rescued from the war in Syria; they lived in dire conditions in Lebanon,” he stated. Impagliazzo highlighted the risks faced by Syrians in Lebanon, especially amid political instability, and the importance of providing safe passage through the Humanitarian Corridors, preventing them from resorting to dangerous routes with human traffickers.
Impagliazzo also pointed out the broader implications of migration for Europe. “Migrants are a resource for Europe, not a problem. Europe needs a new labor force, and positive migration must be inclusive. This initiative shows that migrants can contribute positively to our societies. We need to work harder to create a system that welcomes and integrates migrants,” he concluded.