• Call for the Formal Recognition of Gaps in Protection for Migrant Victims of Violence and Trauma Crossing Borders and a Collaborative Operational Response. Presented at the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges of the UNHCR

• Regional Resettlement Training - Amman, Jordan.

• The 106th ICMC Governing Committee meeting was held in Rome.

• Statement of the International Catholic Migration Commission
  to the UN Committee on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families

•  The Report of a Pastoral Research Enquiry into the Needs of Migrants in London's Catholic Community - The Ground of Justice (PDF 6,7 MB)

•  Paroles d'Exils - ouvrage rassemblant près de 200 témoignages et récits de vie de migrants entre l'Afrique et l'Europe

June 20, 2007

World Refugee Day

The worldwide number of refugees of concern to UNHCR has climbed from 8.4 million last year to 9.9 million currently. Three out of four refugees is a woman or child.

• Pope speaks out for refugees
  The Associated Press - Vatican City
  Pope Benedict XVI urged world leaders Wednesday to take in and care for refugees who seek asylum in their countries.

  Speaking on a day the United Nations sets aside as World Refugee Day, Benedict said accepting refugees was a "dutiful gesture of human solidarity."

  "From the heart I hope that these - our brothers and sisters so tried by suffering - are guaranteed asylum and the recognition of their rights, and I invite those responsible for the nations to offer protection to those who are in such delicate situations of need," the pope said. Addressing the 7,000 pilgrims and tourists gathered in a hall for his weekly public audience, the pope said taking in refugees was for Christians "a concrete way to show evangelical love." He defined refugees as people "forced to flee from their countries as a result of true life-threatening dangers." A U.N. report released Tuesday said at the end of 2006, the world had 9.9 million refugees, a 14 percent increase over the 8.7 million refugees recorded in 2005.

• The Gift of Safety at the Heart of World Refugee Day

• Message from the United Nations Secretary General

• Statement by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. António Guterres, on the occasion of World Refugee Day, 20 June 2007

• The Governing Committee of the ICMC met June 14-16 to hold its 105th meeting just outside Geneva. The Committee thanked Professor Stefano Zamagni, ICMC President since 1998, honoured Vice-President Mr. Mark Franken for his years of service and welcome President-Elect Mr. John M. Klink.

January 14, 2007

January 14^th is the 93^rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees

"May the World Day of Migrants and Refugees become a useful occasion to build awareness, in the ecclesiastical community and public opinion, regarding the needs and problems as well as the positive potentialities of migrant families."
Pope Benedict XVI

• Migration has become a present and pressing reality that deeply affects societies…

• ICMC Statement : 7 Priorities for the Debate on Migration and Development

• Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for the 93rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2007)
  version en francais
  version en español

• Prayer Service Programme from the Irish Episcopal Conference (a joint publication of the Emigrants Commission and the Refugee Project).

• About the Image

• Vatican Asks Syria to Open Borders to Refugees, Foreign Workers

• ICMC launches New Network to Support Refugee Resettlement in Europe

• A Change in Climate in the Global Debate on Migration and Development Offers Governments New Reasons to Ratify Migrant Workers Convention

• The Immigration Reform Debate and the New Congress : What Can We Expect Now? - By Mark Franken, Executive Director - Migration and Refugee Service USCCB.
  Spanish version

• Vatican Decries Fence Planned for U.S. Border - New York Times article. Cardinal Renato Martino’s stance on immigration and refugees.

• ICMC’s partner ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) publishes new series of real Stories of Refugees coming to Europe.

• The USCCB Committee on Migration sends a delegation to the U.S./Mexico border region to study the plight of unaccompanied minors and human trafficking victims - Several ICMC Inc. staff members and ICMC’s Governing Committee member H.E. Bishop Renato Ascencio de León from Mexico will accompany the delegation

• Intervention of H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations at Geneva at the Fifty-seventh Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Program

• Opening Statement by Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the Fifty-seventh Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme
  
  French version

• "Forced Migration Review" - article by Erika Feller, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner (Protection)
  Mediterranean Migration: the need for a comprehensive response

• Need to address the full context, causes and related international obligations in the migrant influx to the Canary Islands, says ICMC Secretary General

• ICMC deplores death of ACTION AGAINST HUNGER aid workers in Sri Lanka

• Caritas Deeply Concerned About Deteriorating Situation in Gaza

• Statement on Gaza by United Nations humanitarian agencies working in the Occupied Palestinian territory

• LEBANON: Bishops Call for Ceasefire, Humanitarian Corridors

• ICMC speaking at UN on Migration Development

• Our 54th COUNCIL Meeting was held July 1-3 at the Casa Bonus Pastor in Rome, Italy.
  Presentations and reports

June 20, 2006

• Open Letter of the United Christian Churches in Belgium, on the occasion of World Refugee Day (original text in French)

• Finding home away from home: World Refugee Day June 20, 2006

• Courage, perseverance of refugees in overcoming adversity inspiration, says Secretary-General in message on international day

• June 20 - World Refugee Day