Rome
Alon reflects on the journey so far
In Rome it’s hard to miss the evidence of how European states have failed displaced people. In an informal camp on the edge of the city, we met asylum seekers who have been in Europe for up to a decade, people who have been granted legal status to remain in Italy but have no means to support themselves and people who have already lived and been thrown out of multiple other European countries. Many people here have not been treated well by Europe and are far from where they would like to be.
As with everywhere we’ve been, positivity exists in the collaborative work of local people and new arrivals, and the African and Middle Eastern hospitality that we’re getting very used to. Highlights of our time included meeting projects like Hummustown and Saj Stories, making our favourite Syrian fattoush salad with some of the guys in the camp and attending the ‘Pensare Migrante’ weekend organised by Baobab Experience — a volunteer-run organisation— and the refugees, migrants and aslyum seekers who work with them. There were panel discussions, food and music, and we were lucky enough to witness a wonderful morning of activities for 200 school children from 3 different schools across Rome on the theme of the migrant experience in Italy. Run by the people who have this experience themselves, the aim was to give the kids a broader understanding of what it’s like to arrive in Italy as a migrant, as well as make new friends and have some fun. There were activities, language learning, dancing, football and table football, followed by a huge lunch put on by the parents. It was a wonderful example of using non-formal educational spaces to bring communities together, gain new perspectives, meet new people and have a good time.
We spent much of our time in the informal camp run by Baobab located just outside of Tiburtina station. Here we felt hopelessness on a scale that we had not experienced yet on this journey. The guys — and it is mainly young men — are tired and fed up. Many are frustrated and are turning to drugs and alcohol. The camp is unique in Italy in that it is the only unofficial camp that is (unofficially) tolerated by the authorities, likely because it is out of sight. On the outskirts of one of Europe’s great cities these people seem to be forgotten, ignored or worse.
What we’ve learnt from this place is the importance of not forgetting or ignoring. One volunteer from Baobab we spoke to said that friends of hers often ask what they can do to help, if they can they donate money or food. She said that at this point the best thing they can do is show up, show an interest and talk to people. The social, cultural and emotional needs of displaced people cannot be forgotten, and doesn’t always need specialist social workers, teachers or psychotherapists to be met. The morning of activities for kids at ‘Pensare Migrante’, and the work of so many of the projects we’ve met on this journey work as perfect examples of this.
The Talmud (a central Jewish text) says: ‘Whoever saves a life saves the world’. Margaret Mead said: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed its the only thing that ever has.’ Together, these quotes sum up what we’ve seen over the past two months: that there are groups of citizens taking it upon themselves to work with and alongside people forgotten by governments and make room for them in their own lives and communities. It seems to me that the narrative our project is following has become about how ‘normal’ people are changing worlds by turning up, creating space and caring. It may not seem massive but all together these are powerful acts at a time when many people refuse or can’t see the problem. It’s why something as seemingly simple as making a salad, playing a game or crocheting a hat together can be so powerful.
We’re seeing a positive future being offered up by committed and powerful citizens where states have failed. This project has become about witnessing the innovation of European communities, international volunteers and grassroots organisations in catering for the personal, social, cultural and educational needs of displaced people, and taking this learning back to our own communities to try understand how we can all do better. We’re asking how we can better prepare ourselves and others to turn up and make room, how we can be effective, useful, reflective and critical, and how we can all benefit from the spaces we seek to create.
