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Borders and Migrants

On 20 May 2022, a group of us, 14 pilgrims from different parts of the world (Kenya, Brussels, Germany, Hong Kong, Philippines, Poland, Rome, Korea, Canada, Fiji, Australia, London, Scotland, and Geneva—a very diverse group) gathered in Palermo, Italy for a Pilgrim Team Visit on the theme of migration. 

WCC Pilgrim Team Visits accompany communities in Italy, Armenia, Norway

Three World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrim Team Visits, one to Italy, a second to Armenia and a third to Norway, are continuing the WCCs accompaniment for communities in their quest for justice and peace under the theme of Christs love moves the world to reconciliation and unity,” through the lenses of post-war trauma healing, gender justice, and migration.

WCC visit to Italy harvests examples of the churches’ unconditional support to refugees and migrants

The Central Mediterranean route is the overseas crossing from North Africa to Italy. Those migrating on this route generally aim to reach Italian shores but leave from a variety of North African countries bordering the Mediterranean. Though in past years most migrants have departed from Libya, which is a destination for migrants as well as a transit country, there is also a proportionally small but growing number of departures from Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria.

Markus Imhoof film receives human rights award

The movie Eldorado, in which filmmaker Markus Imhoof examines the European migrant crisis and contrasts it against his boyhood experience with a post-World War II Italian refugee, has received recognition from the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and SIGNIS, a Roman Catholic lay ecclesial movement for professionals in the communication.

The film was awarded because it highlights universal values.

Pope Francis expresses “fraternal closeness” with Waldensian Methodist

As the Waldensian Methodist Synod met in Torre Pelisse in the north of Italy, the assembled delegates received a letter from Pope Francis, who expressed warm greetings.

“I pray for each of you that you may experience the Holy Spirit in these days of encounter, prayer and reflection,” wrote Pope Francis. “Please allow me to join in your prayer that the Lord would deepen the ecumenical spirit among Christians and lead our churches into a growing communion with each other.”

Erklärung fordert, an „tödlichster Grenze weltweit“ Leben von Bootsflüchtlingen zu retten

Die Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland und der Bürgermeister von Palermo (Italien), Leoluca Orlando, haben eine gemeinsame Erklärung verfasst, in der sie zu einem europäischen Verteilmechanismus für Bootsflüchtlinge aufrufen.
Gegenwärtig gibt es keinen europaweiten Verteilmechanismus, um im Mittelmeer gerettete Flüchtlinge in der Europäischen Union unterzubringen. Die Erklärung ruft zu einer politischen Notlösung in diesem Sommer auf, und fordert, dass eine Gruppe von EU-Mitgliedsstaaten als eine „Koalition der Willigen“ handelt und eine zukunftsfähige Migrationspolitik entwickelt.

Save lives of boat refugees on “deadliest border in the world,” urges declaration

The Protestant Church in Germany and Palermo (Italy) Mayor Leoluca Orlando have issued a joint declaration calling for a European distribution mechanism for boat refugees.

Currently there is no Europe-wide distribution mechanism to accommodate refugees rescued in the Mediterranean in the European Union. The declaration calls for a political emergency solution this summer, and urges a group of European Union member states to act as a “coalition of the willing” and develop a sustainable migration policy.

Buchpräsentation des ÖRK auf der Konferenz der European Academy of Religion befasst sich mit mehrfacher religiöser Zugehörigkeit

Religionen werden oft als in sich geschlossene und miteinander konkurrierende Traditionen angesehen, aber dass Menschen sich in mehreren religiösen Traditionen zu Hause fühlen, kommt gar nicht so selten vor. Dies ist die Erkenntnis einer Publikation des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen, die auf der Konferenz der European Academy of Religion in Bologna, Italien vorgestellt wurde.