Eight Syrian refugees arrived in Rome from Lebanon on Monday through the humanitarian corridors organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Federation of Protestant Churches and the Italian government.
Eight Syrian refugees arrived in Italy on Monday through a 'humanitarian corridor'. The project's directors told ANSA the refugees arrived at Rome's Fiumicino airport from Lebanon.
Daniela Pompei, director of migratory policies for the Community of Sant'Egidio, said this is the "last group from the protocol signed between the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Federation of Protestant Churches, and the Italian government."
Experience produced positive results
The refugees who arrived Monday included a family of five -- father, mother, and three children -- a man who is reuniting with his wife in Rimini, and two brothers.
"The experience has produced positive results," said Pompei, thanking Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio for the opportunity for this collaboration.
The arriving migrants took Covid tests and will undergo a quarantine period in a Sant'Egidio facility before travelling to the places where they will settle.
Since 2016, 2,024 refugees have arrived from Lebanon
"Since 2016, a total of 2,024 refugees have arrived from Lebanon with humanitarian corridors through these two protocols signed with the Federation of Protestant Churches," Pompei said.
"We have asked the Italian government to renew the protocol, considering the dramatic situation in Lebanon, not only for the country's citizens but above all for the Syrians who live in the refugee camps," she said.
"Today, among those who conduct mediation, there are some of the first arrivals from 2016 and 2017. Now they conduct reception, they are working, they are people who are integrated well, some of them have started to buy a home. It's a very positive experience of integration," Pompei said.