October 3: The Day of Remembrance and Welcome becomes law

Yesterday, at Palazzo Madama [the Italian Senate], the bill to establish an official day to remember the victims of migration was approved. The object of the day is to raise awareness of the importance of welcoming through initiatives and commemorative ceremonies.

The explanatory text supporting the bill said: “The choice of October 3 arises from the need to preserve in the collective memory of the country the shipwreck which happened off the coast of [the Sicilian island of] Lampedusa on October 3, 2013, in which 366 migrants lost their lives.” It was approved by the Senate, with 143 votes in favour, 9 against, and 69 abstentions.

The spokesman for the UNHCR, Laurens Jolles, said: “This is a great opportunity for Italian schools to address the issue of asylum and integration.”

Until now, unfortunately, no concrete solution has been put forward to put an end to the tragedies in the Mediterranean; the October 3 Committee will continue to work to this end, trying to establish alternatives to the dangerous seas crossing, the so-called humanitarian corridors to restore the primacy of the value of the lives of the people fleeing, ahead of protecting political borders.