The “Sister-led Dialogues”, as explained by the UISG, allow different experiences and skills to be brought to the same table, to support vulnerable communities in facing some of the most urgent development challenges of our time, such as those related to migration phenomena. They are very important events because, through the comparison of different experiences and the rich exchange of reflections, they allow us to know needs, requests and experiences from all over the world, so as to shape conversations on international development around the needs of local communities.
The Sister-Led Dialogue on Migration on 4 July brought together, at the headquarters of the UISG, Sisters from all over the world, representatives of United Nations and third sector organisations, academic experts and communicators. The meeting, which is part of the UISG Sisters Advocating Globally initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Global Solidarity Fund, was a valuable moment of discussion and was based on three key topics: the analysis of the root causes of migration in a global economy, the role of humanitarian assistance and human rights and, finally, integral human development and social cohesion in the countries of arrival. The day then ended with a visit to the Chaire Gynai reception project (from the Greek, “Welcome, woman”), which began at the request of Pope Francis and is embraced by the Scalabrinian Foundation of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of San Carlo Borromeo, aimed at refugee women with children and migrant women who are in a situation of vulnerability.
During the day Sister Nieves Crespo, FMA, spoke about her experience of collaboration in the project carried out by the Global Solidarity Fund on behalf of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons, which involves five congregations, each with its own specific contribution. “As Salesian Sisters, we focus on education" stressed Sister Nieves. “Education is the key to changing the mentality, to changing the way of looking at people who are different.”
The mission of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians is in fact to give young people they take in, especially girls, a formation “tailored to them”, at work and in life. “Most of them come from rural areas to wealthy Addis Ababa, to seek a better life. But most of the time they suffer division from the family” continues Sister Nieves, “and we give them a technical training and then we look for work. Right now, more than 90% have a job. And we realised that the moment they have gained the technical skills and life skills, these girls, through work, regain their dignity, because they have suffered and struggled a lot.”
From this meeting, therefore, Sister Nieves brings two convictions: one is the need to change mentality, the way of looking at people, while the other is to change the narrative, the words that are used “within a global citizenship and in a world in which we all have the same rights, the same duties and we are called to build together.”
