Rome (NEV), September 21, 2018 – Migrants and refugees participated in the “World Conference on Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the context of Global Migration”, organized by the Roman Curia Department for Promoting Integral Human Development and by the World Council of Churches (WCC), in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), which took place in Rome from September 18 to 20. The Conference offered the participants a first hand perspective on how political and social responses can lead either to serious injustice or to hope building.
During the conference the crucial role that churches can play in promoting a just and peaceful human society was explored. In this context, the role of “populist nationalism” was examined pointing out how this manipulates the concerns and insecurities of people, in particular with respect to migratory phenomena and cultural identity, for the purpose of personal interest and electoral advantage. This fear permeates the media and influences public policies and opinions, thus threatening the human and moral values of society and undermining respect for human rights and humanitarian law.
Luca Maria Negro, president of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI) and Fiona Kendall, representative of the Church of Scotland and European and legal affairs advisor for Mediterranean Hope, the FCEI refugee and migrant program, participated in the conference. They both participated in the Wednesday afternoon panel entitled “Accompanying migrants and communities: a challenge for the churches”. Eugenio Bernardini, moderator of the Waldensian Board, and Michele Charbonnier, Italian member of the WCC Central Committee also took part in the meeting.
, September 21, 2018 – Migrants and refugees participated in the “World Conference on Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the context){kind=link}