Pope promotes 'humanitarian corridors' for asylum-seekers

VATICAN CITY — 

Pope Francis met Saturday pinch thousands of refugees and kindness groups hosting them successful Italy arsenic he sought to beforehand ineligible migration routes to Europe arsenic an replacement to smuggling operations that he said person turned nan Mediterranean Sea into a “cemetery.”

Francis said “humanitarian corridors,” which person operated successful Italy since 2016, saved lives and helped recently arrived asylum-seekers get acclimated while religion groups provided housing, acquisition and activity opportunities.

“Humanitarian corridors not only purpose to bring refugees to Italy and different European countries, rescuing them from situations of uncertainty, threat and endless waiting; they besides activity toward integration,” he said.

The Sant’Egidio Catholic charity, nan Federation of Evangelical Churches and nan Waldensian Church spearheaded nan ecumenical humanitarian transportation inaugural successful Italy, which has brought much than 6,000 group to Europe, Francis was told.

Under nan program, assistance workers place asylum candidates successful exile camps and process first paperwork to bring them into Italy connected humanitarian grounds. Once they arrive, they are past provided pinch assistance to settee and use for asylum.

Families from Syria, Afghanistan, Rwanda and Ukraine were successful nan Vatican auditorium to meet pinch nan pope.

“It was important for maine to travel present to show nan world that humanitarian corridors are 1 of nan astir beautiful things this world has to connection for group who deserve” information and dignity, said Oliver Chris I. Kabalisa, a 22-year-old from Rwanda. “Because arsenic a refugee, we do not time off our state because we want to, but because we are constrained, we are forced to.”

Afghan exile Nazani Shakvulla said women successful her state were suffering, banned from education, activity and travel, and request thief from nan Vatican and kindness groups “to support nan humanitarian corridors and find a measurement to evacuate aliases find a measurement that girls successful Afghanistan get education.”