Rome (NEV), February 5, 2017 – The commitment of the Italian Protestant churches continues in the areas affected by recent earthquakes, occurred in August, in October and again on January 18th. Among the latest initiatives, the participation of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI) in the project ‘Amatrice 2.0. The sun after the storm’. A contribution of 15,000 euros was sent to the breeders of Amatrice – a mediaeval town that was completely destroyed – for the purchase of fodder, feed and equipment. To Tolentino will soon be sent instead, a contribution of 20,000 euros to support an integration centre for children and a toy library including educational materials.
“In addition to the projects already approved and actually running in Arquata del Tronto, Amatrice and Tolentino – said pastor Luca Maria Negro, president of FCEI – we are going to support the building of a prefabricated structure, to be used as ‘House of the associations’ in Arquata del Tronto; hopefully we will be able to realize similar projects also in other areas hit by the earthquake in collaboration with local voluntary associations. These facilities will obviously be open to all local associations and could serve as social gathering spaces in an area where there are no more physical places for this purpose. The project is going to be effective shortly after the authorization of the concerned institutions”.
Among the other initiatives of the Italian Protestants, we recall the participation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy (CELI) in the implementation of the ‘New kindergarten – Aggregation centre of Norcia’. It is a completely anti-seismic wooden prefabricated building, inaugurated on Christmas Eve and already available for the 60 boys and girls of the town. The news was spread by a press release of the CELI agency in which it is explained how the 8,500 euros collected were used for internal finishing and the purchase of furniture. The donated amount was collected within the Lutheran churches during the traditional Christmas markets and through special donations. The new kindergarten of Norcia is the first public facility rebuilt after the earthquake in the Umbrian town.
