Mattarella on World Refugee Day: Oppose Persecution with the Force of Peace

On World Refugee Day, Italian President Sergio Mattarella urged the international community to counter persecution and forced displacement with the strength of peace and reason. He stated that the alarming reality of millions forced to abandon their lands annually due to armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, and human rights violations is not an irreversible trend.

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Every year millions of people are forced to abandon their lands, fleeing from armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, persecutions and violations of the most basic human rights. This is an alarming reality, a trend that presents itself cyclically, almost as if it were an inevitable destiny, the fruit of tragic developments in relations between states and between peoples.

"The history of Europe and the international order born after World War II testify that these are not irreversible drifts," Mattarella said, emphasizing that the logic of reason and the force of peace can be opposed to these phenomena. He highlighted that Italy's republican system and Constitution recognize the universal character of human rights, explicitly granting the right of asylum to those persecuted for their opinions. The nation also prioritizes rescue, responsible reception, and the protection of refugees and displaced persons.

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The history of Europe and the international order born after World War II testify that these are not irreversible drifts but that, to them, it is possible to oppose the logic of reason, the force of peace.

Mattarella conveyed his solidarity and closeness to the men, women, and children enduring this distressing condition of fragility and vulnerability, a state sometimes exploited by unscrupulous criminal organizations. He stressed that the will of states, alongside their capacity for mutual collaboration and cooperation with international institutions, is essential for addressing the structural causes of these phenomena and implementing effective solutions.

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I wish to express solidarity and closeness to the women and men - many of them minors - who live this distressing condition of fragility and vulnerability, sometimes exploited by criminal organizations without scruples or respect for human dignity.

"The Italian Republic, recalling the high significance of today's commemoration, once again joins the appeal of those who ask each member of the International Community to refrain from irresponsible conduct, to promote the safeguarding of every human being, and to contribute to the realization of the universal ideal of solidarity among peoples," the President concluded. The Italian Red Cross also marked the day, with its president, Rosario Valastro, highlighting Lampedusa's hotspot as a model for reception and announcing a new podcast series on the plight of missing migrants.

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The will of states, along with their capacity to collaborate mutually and with the relevant international institutions, is an indispensable prerequisite for addressing the structural causes of these phenomena and implementing effective solutions.