Rome, 03/01/2017 – Presentation of the book Badheea, written by Mattia Civico. The book tells about the Italian initiative to open humanitarian corridor meant to welcome Syrian refugees who fled to Lebanon. One year later, Mattia Civico writes about the expirience. During the presentation, Abu Rabiya, one of the Syrian who reached Italy through the humanitarin corridor, addresses a speech to Italian people, associations and isntitutions.
Abu Rabiya speech
In the name of god, benevolent and merciful
From Trento we came here to thank you.
We bring you a message on behalf of the Syrian families that arrived in Italy through the Humanitarian Corridor. When we arrived we were welcome by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the airport of Rome. Such a welcome gave us the hope we could have a happy, secure and safe life. First of all, I’d like to thank the Italian Government for the interest it has showed about the Syrian situation. And particularly about the Syrian people. For this reason I’d like to thank the government, the Italian institutions and the Italian organizations.
It is nice that a human being can be a candle to illuminate the way of the oppressed, a light for who can’t go on. A light that accompanies them by holding their hands and brings them toward safety, overcoming together the waves of sufferance and failure.
I thank you from my heart, because you’ve chosen to take the side of the people oppressed by dictatorships, in Syria and in other countries. Italy had a different role from all of the others. Italy opened the Humanitarian Corridor that saved Syrian refugees from hell. In Italy, our families found peace, stability, the possibility to let their children study, the right to healthcare, and a safe house. All things that we had lost more than 6 years ago. Here we have found a situation much different from other countries, where still thousands of families suffer for injustice, cold, fear and live without a house nor human rights. Places where people in prison everyday try the taste of the death.
Special thanks go to those who came to us from thousands miles far, while the rest of the world stand far, such as the Community Sant’Egidio, Federation of evangelical churches, Waldesian round table, Operazione Colomba and the other Italian volunteers.
Moreover, I’d like to send a message of love and esteem to the most beautiful mother of the world: Badheea. Thanks for the hug she gives to children, brothers and friends in such a difficult situations. She never left anyone behind and she will never do it until she’ll go back to Syria with them, free and in peace. My mother is a sign of love, strength and happiness: she is Badheea.
Don’t ask me about my country: it is beautiful. But in my country on my right side there was a giant called injustice and on my left side an executioner called slavery. Behind my back there was a regime that tortures and made me slave for years. In front of me I see a free people, willing to live free and in dignity, ready to pay a high price for reaching such a liberty.
We are an oppressed people: we could forget who laughed with us, but we’ll never forget the Italian people and the friends who cried with us. We hope you can help us to re-establish peace in Syria and in the world, and to stop the death tools that the world has being seeing for six years. In this way everyone of us can go back to our country, grateful for your love and to have had you beside the Syrian people.
Thanks to the Italian people and Government.
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
