An Italian ecumenical mission is in Lebanon to bring as many as 1,000 refugees to Italy on humanitarian visas

An Italian ecumenical mission is in Lebanon this week to work out the final details of a pilot project to bring as many as 1,000 refugees to Italy on humanitarian visas so they're not tempted to risk sea crossings to Europe


The Latest: Italian mission tests migrant aid plan



ASSOCIATED PRESS | 9 hours, 59 minutes ago


IDOMENI, Greece (AP) — The latest developments in Europe's immigration crisis. All times local

VIEW MORE
PHOTOS (7)




1:45 p.m.

An Italian ecumenical mission is in Lebanon this week to work out the final details of a pilot project to bring as many as 1,000 refugees to Italy on humanitarian visas so they're not tempted to risk sea crossings to Europe.

The U.N. refugee agency has welcomed the initiative, one of many types of private sponsorships that are enabling particularly vulnerable refugees to reach safety and start new lives in third countries.

In this case, the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy and the Rome-based Catholic Sant'Egidio Community teamed up to ask the Italian government grant 1,000 humanitarian visas for refugees in camps in Lebanon, Morocco and Ethiopia. Organizers say a first group of 100 refugees in Lebanon could arrive by the end of the month or early February.


Source