The Italian association Baobab Experience will inaugurate Welcome Net in Rome on January 9: an infopoint for migrants and a safe haven for the most vulnerable.
On January 9, Baobab Experience will inaugurate an infopoint in Rome to assist migrants, marking what the association called "a new, extremely beautiful challenge" in a statement announcing the initiative.
The project follows years of appeals to local administrations, spanning "all political colors," dating back to 2015, the organization said.
"We can say that perseverance pays off -- that our resistance to 42 evictions, travesty trials, and intimidation has finally been acknowledged," the statement noted.
The facility, which has already welcomed the first migrants, will be officially inaugurated on January 9.
Since 2015, Baobab Experience has supported over 110,000 people in movement -- women, men and children who land on Italy's coasts to continue their journey towards other European destinations.
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'First time a Roman institution recognizes migrants in transit'
"For the past decade, we have been active on the sidewalks near Tiburtina Station in Rome," the association stated, "offering support to foreign nationals and drawing attention—through our constant physical presence—to a phenomenon many have ignored: a reality that challenges the rhetoric of an 'invasion' and instead reveals the secondary movement of those who don’t wish to stay in Italy."
According to Baobab Experience, "the opening of the welcome center represents the first time a Roman institution recognizes migrants in transit -- all the people who arrive in Rome only to cross it. Finally, human beings devastated by journeys marred by unspeakable violence will be able to find shelter and comfort in a safe place."
A place for women traveling alone, families with children
After 10 years of outdoor activities, a few initiatives will be organized by Baobab inside a facility, it said.
"From Via Cupa to Piazzale Maslax, Piazzale Spadolini, and the sidewalks of Verano, we have provided warm meals, winter kits, and daily information and legal support to migrants. Now, these services will be delivered in a dignified indoor space, open during the day, where those who have left their home countries and need protection can find assistance," the association explained.
"Even more crucially, vulnerable individuals -- such as women traveling alone and families with children -- will have access to a home: a transit center with 12 beds where they can feel safe. This has been made possible through a collaborative effort with Municipio II (a Roman administrative district), NGOs, and Baobab Experience activists," the statement added.
"In a time when migration is demonized and solidarity criminalized, Welcome Net represents a step in the opposite direction. We hope it serves as a model of good practices," the association emphasized.
"This project showcases the beautiful side of collaboration between institutions and civil society, joining forces for a shared commitment to humanity," the statement concluded.
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