The Community Matching project results were presented today during a conference at Palazzo Merulana in Rome. Launched in 2022, the project helps local communities get in touch with refugees in 10 Italian cities to create more inclusive communities and foster integration.
The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and its partners Ciac and Refugees Welcome Italia launched the project thanks to the 8×1000 funds of the Istituto Buddista Italiano Soka Gakkai. As of 31 December 2022, 358 “matches” had been created among people of 41 nationalities. The program is being implemented in Bari, Bergamo, Bologna, Milan, Naples, Padua, Palermo, Parma, Rome and Turin. With some of these municipalities the UNHCR has developed important collaborations through the “Carta per l’integrazione dei rifugiati” (Document for the Integration of Refugees). The project’s impact was measured through a research on 115 “matches”. This confirmed that all aspects of the life of the refugees were positively impacted: their work and housing situations, which are more stable, their health and sense of safety, their learning of the Italian language, their understanding of the services and of the local area.
“My life has changed. Just like we receive shelter, or Italian courses, every refugee should have a “buddy”. That should be included in the integration activities for everyone” said Abdulrahman Shabanah, a refugee living and participating in the program in Rome.
Indeed, data show that already in the first six months of the project 50% of refugees improved their knowledge of the Italian language. There was a significant improvement also in terms of work and housing: 25% of refugees found a job and 17% signed a rent contract. Furthermore, 86% of refugees reported an increase in their overall well-being thanks to the relationships they built through the Community Matching program.
“We are grateful to the Istituto Buddista Italiano for allowing us to implement our “Community Matching” project through its 8×1000 funds. The results shown today confirm the importance of social relationships in helping refugees get integrated within their new communities. The program enables them to become independent and contribute to the economy as consumers, workers and entrepreneurs. This can only increase the well-being of the whole community” said UNHCR representative to Italy, the Holy See and San Marino Chiara Cardoletti.
“We are proud to be supporting UNHCR’s “Community Matching” project, as we strongly believe that social inclusion for foreigners and refugees is a fundamental value for our society. Buddhism teaches the importance of integrating differences and of different cultures coexisting in peace. That is why we strive to promote solidarity and respect for the people of the whole world. The results reached so far by the project are very reassuring and confirm that our shared goals are reachable” said Anna Conti, President of the 8×1000 Commission of the Istituto Buddista Italiano Soka Gakkai.
“We believe this program is able to concretely change the life of those who take part in it. For years we have been running programs like this one and we would never have imagined such a development. This project joins social protection – which can only be guaranteed through interpersonal relationships, especially in a context of unfair and discriminatory laws – and a social dimension that touches everyone. The goal is to combat isolation and social individualism generating new forms of social interaction” said Michele Rossi, director of Ciac.
“Meaningful relationships enable people to blossom again, even after having faced so many difficulties and the trauma linked to a forced migration. Fostering friendship bonds and mutual support relationships that otherwise wouldn’t exist: this is the purpose of our work” said Fabiana Musicco, director of Refugees Welcome Italia.
Press materials can be downloaded at this link: https://we.tl/t-Dy69XYABZa
The project report is available HERE.