The Syrian refugee families, including 17 minors, landed at Rome's Fiumicino airport on a flight from Beirut on May 30. They had been living in camps in the Bekaa Valley, the Akkar region, and on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

The families had fled to Lebanon from various cities in Syria, including Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs.

Their arrival in Italy was made possible by the Humanitarian Corridors, promoted by the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy and the Waldensian Evangelical Church, in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Since 2016, these organizations have worked together to rescue approximately 3,000 people from Lebanon alone.

Overall in Europe, the Humanitarian Corridors have rescued approximately 7,200 refugees.

Families to live in nine Italian regions

There was a festive atmosphere at the airport as the Syrians arrived, with hugs, tears, handshakes and lots of smiles. The children, who repeatedly yelled "Viva l'Italia" (Hurray for Italy), were welcomed with colorful balloons and the drum roll of Sant'Egidio volunteers.

Some experienced emotional reunions with family members who had arrived earlier through the Humanitarian Corridors and who will host their relatives.

Some of the new arrivals will stay in homes made available by Italian families and associations.

The Syrian families will be hosted throughout nine Italian regions: Lazio, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lombardy, Piedmont, Puglia, Tuscany, and Veneto.

'Migrants are a resource for Europe, not a problem'

"These people were rescued from the war in Syria; they used to live in dire conditions in Lebanon," stated Marco Impagliazzo, the president of the Sant'Egidio Community.

"Lebanon is preparing for political elections, and the lives of many Syrians are at risk both for political reasons and because there is too much pressure on this country.

"These lives were rescued thanks to the Humanitarian Corridor, making it possible for them not to have to place themselves in the hands of human traffickers," added Impagliazzo.

He explained, "There is no European country that is not aware, especially for economic reasons, that Europe needs a new labor force.

Therefore, positive migration, beyond offering shelter, must also be inclusive.

This is a positive message to show that migrants are a resource and not a problem for our European societies. We should work harder and better to achieve a system that welcomes migrants and achieves integration," he concluded.