Italy

Number of people served: 30,830

Due to its proximity to northern Africa, Italy receives more refugees and asylum seekers than most countries in Europe, mostly coming by boat across the Mediterranean Sea. More than 100,000 migrants applied for asylum in Italy in 2017. The majority of these migrants have experienced some trauma on their journey to Italy, often led by smugglers. Italy has been overwhelmed by the number of migrants and asylum seekers, and there are few resources available for them in the country, even for those who receive refugee status.

Our work in Italy

JRS Italy (Centro Astalli) provides a variety of services to asylum seekers and refugees, such as daily hot meals, Italian language lessons, shelter, medical services, and legal support. Centro Astalli gives particular attention to the accompaniment of the most vulnerable refugees, such as those who have been victims of torture. Every day, 450 volunteers (lawyers, doctors, students, teachers, and others) help Centro Astalli to feed, advocate, integrate, teach, and accompany refugees and asylum seekers in Italy.

Education
A teacher supports refugee students in Athens, Greece
Education
Health Care
An immigrant sits on a window ledge while talking on the telephone at the detention centre in Safi, Malta.
Health Care
Protection
A man carries a child as refugees wait for a train to continue their journey towards western Europe from the Macedonia-Greece border at the Vinojug Temporary Transit Centre outside the village of Gevgelija, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Protection
Emergency Assistance
Migrant children takes cups of tea served by a nun as migrants and refugees are registered by the authorities before continuing their train journey to western Europe at a refugee transit camp in Slavonski Brod, Croatia.
Emergency Assistance

See our work

Italian courses for foreigners run by Centro Astalli (JRS Italy).
Italian courses for foreigners run by Centro Astalli (JRS Italy). (Jesuit Refugee Service)
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, Centro Astalli, JRS Italy, launched “Yala”, an album resulted from the musical journeys of refugees and those who want to create welcoming and peaceful communities.
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, Centro Astalli, JRS Italy, launched “Yala”, an album resulted from the musical journeys of refugees and those who want to create welcoming and peaceful communities. (Jesuit Refugee Service)
Participants of the Communities of Hospitality project, that enables religious institutions to host refugees.
Participants of the Communities of Hospitality project, that enables religious institutions to host refugees. (Jesuit Refugee Service)

Contact

JRS Italy Country Director

Fr Camillo Ripamonti SJ

astalli@col.jrs.net

Project locations:

Rome, Palermo, Trento, Catania, Vicenza, Naples, Padova, Milan

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