"As long as we continue to view young people of foreign origin as a problem to be solved, we will only erect invisible barriers. But if we see them as a resource, their presence can become a blessing for our country."
This was stated by Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi, Archbishop of Cagliari and Secretary General of the CEI, introducing the new 2025 Immigration Report by Caritas and the Migrantes Foundation, entitled "Young People, Witnesses of Hope."
According to Baturi, simply welcoming isn't enough: it's necessary to enhance the active participation of young people with migrant backgrounds, recognizing the wealth of experiences, cultures, languages, and talents they bring with them. "They're not just recipients of aid, but active participants capable of enriching the social and ecclesial fabric," he emphasizes.
For Baturi, then, valorization means recognizing and granting dignity. "It's not about 'integrating' to make everyone equal, but about creating a common fabric where differences become opportunities for growth." And for this, we must "foster participation, which means allowing everyone to feel like a living part of the community, with rights and duties, with the ability not only to receive, but also to give."
A challenge, according to the CEI Secretary, which also concerns "civil society and institutions. Italian schools, often left alone, play a decisive role, but far-sighted policies are needed that don't just manage the emergency, but seriously invest in the future. Citizenship, legal recognition, and the ability to feel fully part of the national community are increasingly essential."
(Unioneonline)
