Italian Churches assessing how to best to support refugees

Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI) in Poland, at the border with Ukraine, to shape its own humanitarian action for those fleeing from war.

From Friday 11th March until 18th March, three staff and mediators from Italian Protestant churches will be in Poland, specifically, Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz and on the border with Ukraine, together with contacts and representatives of local churches, in order to assess on the ground the action which needs to be implemented in the coming weeks and to provide initial help to refugees.

“The principal objectives of this action,” explains FCEI president Daniele Garrone, “are understanding the situation of those who are fleeing and how local Protestant churches are organizing themselves, in order to assess what type of practical and financial support we can offer.  Thereafter, our intention is to organise for an initial group of 50 people transfer by coach from Poland to Italy to be hosted within our solidarity network.  No less importanti is understanding the situation of those non-Ukrainians who are fleeing: we believe that solidarity and reception should be extended wherever possible to all without distinction and we are ready, in our small way, to do our part.  At the same time, we shall continue to call for dialogue so that a negotiated solution might be found to the conflict, so that the war might cease and so that humanitarian corridors for civilians might be realized as quickly as possible.”