What we did | December22
Integrated Welcoming
The ASCS year has also come to an end: it has been a 2022 full of events, activities, meetings and sharing. Before we delve into what’s new in 2023, let’s see what happened in the last month of the year.
During this last period, there have been many families that we have been able to follow and support through different projects. Many of these we encountered during the pandemic, when with the One Home Project, we accompanied many households in going through that difficult historical and economic time. This effort has continued over the months. Those families have been joined by others, and just in the last month, we have organized, at our Rome headquartersCasa Scalabrini 634, a distribution of food items; this was made possible thanks to the support of the International Fondation Assistance.
The last meeting of 2022 of the RAI – Integrated Reception Network was held. The purpose of these meetings, promoted by ASCS, is to collaborate with the different realities of the Roman territory making it possible to share and disseminate good practices and reflections regarding the issues of housing and work autonomy. It was a year that allowed us to understand that through this kind of synergistic work so much can be achieved, and a challenge for the new year will be to continue to collaborate in an increasingly fruitful way.
Meanwhile, the meeting was held in Milan. “We are not alone” Learning to protect ourselves. The psychologists of the Wasi project in collaboration with Caritas Ambrosiana and Cooperativa Farsi Prossimo conducted a workshop to reflect on the issue of gender-based violence while also presenting the Vodafone Foundation Italy’s “Bright Sky” App.
December is the month of Christmas and, like every year, we wanted to celebrate it in the company of friends and girlfriends, volunteers, families and young guests of Casa Scalabrini 634. With games for the little ones, bingo, piñata and more, we enjoyed an afternoon of sharing and looking forward to the Holy Christmas.
Intercultural Engagement
In order to live the penultimate Sunday of Advent under the banner of encounter, we organized at the Carmine Church, a market where local realities and people could tell their stories in their daily action of building a society made of more bridges and fewer walls. Bringing joy and warmth to those present were many theatrical performances, music and dances by various musical groups. “Warm Hearts” was a beautiful day spent in the pursuit of encounters.
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In Chieri, Luca Rondi, Altreconomia’s friend and journalist, told us about Frontex, the European agency in charge of border management. The meeting of Crossover was an opportunity to inform us about the subject of Europe’s borders and related migration issues.
Sunday, December 18 marked the end of the Naples Remix, in collaboration with Migrantes of Cosenza. We walked through this city full of colors and flavors, seeing it through the eyes of the children of the Tutti i colori association, which, with Sister Lucia in the Rione Sanità neighborhood organizes “after-school activities” for children and young people and has created a place that can truly be called a Home. We then experienced the hope that the Open Eyes cooperative brings to the Scampia neighborhood, amid contradictions and a desire for redemption. We hope that this will be a step toward new shared paths to enhance the richness of diversity.
ASCS on the borders of Europe
Meanwhile, visits to the Scalabrinian missions in Europe continue as to understand what the impact of ASCS can be alongside people on the move. The first visit was to Calais, where the Scalabrinian fathers opened a new mission since late August. A mission that sees around 2,000 people that want to continue their journey, but are stuck at the border, opposed by local institutions. We met and got to know some of the associations operating there.
The second visit was to the Austrian-Italian border. This is a very silent border, but crossed daily by a double flow of people on the move: together with transform!europe, ASGI, Langer foundation and Pushback Alarm Austria, we hypothesize an update of a report regarding the situation of people on the move on that border.
And just in these weeks, the new weekends of ConFine23. Through the individual proposals we are touching the realities of Europe’s visible and invisible borders: Oulx, Trieste and Ventimiglia. Through service and sharing, we will support people on the move, meet testimonies, and experience moments of reflection and exchange.
What better way to touch on our daily activities than by being part of our group? The call for community service in Rome, Milan and South Africa opened in December, if you are between 18 and 29 years old, apply by February 10!
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