AMERICA/BRAZIL - In the pandemic, the 35th Migrants' Week: "Where is your brother and sister?"

Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) - "Where is your brother, your sister?" is the question that, taking inspiration from the biblical verse (cf. Gn 4,9), constitutes the theme of the 35th edition of the Week of the Migrant, which is celebrated in Brazil from 14 to 21 June, mobilizing people, groups and communities to promote the acceptance, integration, defense of migrants' rights. This edition focuses on the theme "Migration and reception".
As underlined in the note of the Bishops’ Conference (CNBB) sent to Fides, the Bishop of the diocese of Brejo and President of the Bishops’ Commission for the socio-transforming action of the CNBB, Mgr. José Valdeci Santos Mendes, stressed how it is important to reflect on the brothers and sisters who have need of support and spirit of communion. "The motto itself motivates us to do it. At this time of the coronavirus pandemic, we must experience solidarity, compassion, we must witness the Gospel", he reiterates.
"The week of migrants draws our attention to the increase in migration and refugee situations in recent years - explains the vice president of Caritas Brazil, Cleusa Alves da Silva -. Furthermore, the serious political and economic crisis that the country is facing, together with the pandemic, accentuates unemployment, thwarts the expectations of those seeking a more dignified life, increases hunger, misery and the vulnerability of the impoverished population. Among those who suffer most are people in a migration situation who are invisible to the system. For them, public policies and rights do not apply".
The Week of Migrants 2020 takes up the appeal of the 2020 Fraternity Campaign, which had as its motto "He saw, was moved with compassion and took care of him" (Lk 10, 33-34), and is promoted by the collaboration of the various organizations that work for human care, pastoral care and defense of the rights of the migrant population in Brazil. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 15/6/2020)

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