Ravenna, 31 December 2022 – It is docked around 12 in Ravenna the ship Ocean Viking of the NGO Sos Mediterranee that carries 113 migrants. The reception mechanism coordinated by the Prefecture is ready: upon their arrival, everyone will be refreshed, visited, identified and finally sorted into the various reception centers in Emilia-Romagna.
The principals of reception
In Porto Corsini everything is ready to welcome the migrants, greeted by a beautiful and mild sunny day. Along about 200 meters of quay are set up i several heated principals who will welcome them. Two tents of 118 for any serious cases, three normal visit clinics and two separate waiting areas, one for Covid cases and one for non-Covid cases.
In addition to the medical tents, there are areas for the social support, operators and clowns of the Red Cross for the many minors arriving (there are 35 in all, the youngest is a 17 day old baby). Panettone, milk, hot drinks, coffee, but also toys and clothes are available. Finally, an area for recognition and identification is ready.
A first health check will still be carried out on board the ship three maritime health doctors.
“A ship of migrants here in Ravenna is a novelty – said the prefect Castrese De Rosa – but as soon as we found out we got on the move and the organizational machine started. What you see here is a miracle of commitment, will and collaboration by everyone”. More than 300 units are involved in the reception, including the health sector, the Red Cross, doctors, nurses and staff of the Municipality of Ravenna. 100 men of the police force employed and 100 volunteers who will take turns on various shifts.
The anti-landing banner
But not everyone is willing to welcome them: a banner with the words “closed ports for safe cities” was hung in the terminal area during the night. To claim the gesture, attaching a photo, is the National Movement of Romagna – The Network of Patriots. “Changing government, persistent (European) bad acquaintances”, reads the note in reference to the ship’s NGO. “The new decree signed by the Meloni government does not solve the problem” as “the landings continue and the new sanctions for NGOs that disobey the guidelines are practically useless”.
And again: “The immigration problem is a priority that even the current government does not want to take into consideration. The idea of a multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan society has failed”.
“We are a land of welcome”
“We are doing our part, the organization has been exemplary thanks to the work of many professionals and volunteers. Emilia-Romagna is a land of welcome and solidarity, we have done our part and will continue to do so, we have done it in past for the Afghans, we are doing it for the Ukrainians, we are doing it today and we will do it in the future, because for us, hospitality and solidarity are values that have no colors or flags and above all do not depend on the current government”, says the Emilia-Romagna Councilor for Welfare Igor Taruffi present at the port of Ravenna where the 113 migrants on board the Ocean Viking ship are about to disembark.
“That said – continued Taruffi – the decision to send a ship that was in the Mediterranean to Ravenna and therefore keep it busy for so many more days of navigation means in fact keeping the ship away from theaters where it is most needed. This is a very questionable choice which seems to us to be at odds with common sense and which shows all the distance between the propaganda that today’s government abused during the electoral campaign by speaking of naval blockades and the reality, which when it arrives, presents the bill and the The only thing that can be done is to transfer these ships as far from the Mediterranean as possible”.