Pope to meet with refugees who arrived via 'corridors'

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 14 - Pope Francis will on Saturday meet with refugees who have arrived in Italy and other European countries under the humanitarian corridors programme providing safe and legal entry for particularly vulnerable people fleeing war, violence and persecution and integration support once they have arrived, Ansa sources said Tuesday.
    The audience will be held in the Paul VI audience hall in the Vatican at 11:30.
    The Humanitarian Corridors is an initiative of Italian faith based organisations including Community of Sant'Egidio, the Federation of Evangelical Churches, the Italian Bishops' Conference-Italian Caritas and the Waldensian Table. Since 2016, over 6,000 refugees and asylum seekers have arrived in Europe under the programme, including more than 5,000 to Italy under a series of protocols also involving the ministries of the interior and foreign affairs and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
    The refugees who will be attending the papal audience on Saturday come from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Libya, among other countries, and some will give testimonies. Representatives of civil society organisations and families that have supported them will also be present. (ANSA).