September 15, 2017 PRESS RELEASE
Starting from Bari the long path of the “European Charter for the rights of the Unaccompanied Migrant Minors and Separated Children.” Decaro (ANCI) is working to promote it.
From the South of Italy, a place where crowds of unaccompanied child migrants come, the initiative heads to the heart of Europe. The aim is to involve the Italian Municipalities, the Cities and the Organizations of Civil Society, in the creation of a culture committed to young people: who are, beside the colour of their skin, the ones that will build the forthcoming Europe .
The Fair of Levante in Bari (Fiera del Levante) that is particularly focused on Italian flagship products within the framework of the project “Families in Fair” has reserved a prestigious space in order to share ideas on the project that will lead to ”An European Charter for the rights of the Unaccompanied Minors Migrants .” The strength of the partnership between the Civil Society and that of the Political Institutions, that are committed to the stricken universe of Unaccompanied Minors, has been expressed in Bari, during a meeting organized by the network “Città dei Bimbi”, chaired by the journalist Elisa Forte.
“The project aims to draw up an unique plan of action to be used by all EU Members – Adriano Scarpelli, Chairman of Carrettera Central, the Voluntary Association in Siena that has conceived the Charter, has explained – this could lead to a synergic action to defend the rights and the dignity of the Unaccompanied Migrant Minors.
“The plight of the Unaccompanied Minors Migrants is, in the world of migration, the most painful dimension because it affects innocent children”, Giacomo Bassi, Mayor of San Gimignano, which is the first Municipality to sign the Charter, has stated.
But where does the idea of the “Charter” come from? This journey started in Siena following “Circomondo”, the International Festival of Social Circus dedicated to Street Children. The considerations and the opportunities have been explored during a debate successfully moderated by the brilliant journalist Alessandra Campanile. Other speakers were, in addition to Adriano Scarpelli and Giacomo Bassi, Anna Vita Perrona, Chief Member from Teca del Mediterraneo, Silvia Miglietta, Alderman to the Civil Rights and Equalities from the Municipality of Lecce, Elisa Forte, President of the Association “Città dei Bimbi” and the Mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro, who is also President of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI). Decaro has expressed his enthusiastic support to the “Charter”: this will lead to the active involvement of Municipality of Bari which will imply a preliminary participation by ANCI as well.
Adriano Scarpelli has remarked the necessity to create a link that will lead to resubmit the Charter to the European Parliament, the Centre of Europe, from the South of Italy, first place of arrival for the Unaccompanied Migrant Minors, that has revaled a great ability to recept the migration flow and a great positive involvement in this issue. Italy was praised for pioneering the reception of Unaccompanied Migrant Minors, thanks also to the recent approval of “Legge Zampa”.
The Mayor Giacomo Bassi in his speech has strongly pointed out the need to share the great Italian Humanity, which shouldn’t be only cultural and artistic, but also moral and ethical.
The European Charter therefore starts its march in Bari to raise awareness and to gain recognition and strength in the different Italian and European realities, hoping to find new supporters to this cause and to unite new voices and the numerous founding partners who since its inception have been highly committed to this great and ambitious project. Next events will take place in Palermo, Calabria, Basilicata, Campania, Brindisi Lazio, Florence, Milan, Berlin, Barcellona, Greece, France, Sweden and in many others to be defined.
