News from Italy - Scirocco Nr. 1 2025

Scirocco [ʃiˈrɔkko-Scirocco] is a southeasterly, hot strong wind that carries dust and sand across the Mediterranean Sea to Sicily and the north of Italy for often only a few hours. This short info is published since March 2021, currently every month.

The current issue of the newsletter is dedicated to the situation of refugees in Italy and various initiatives aimed at promoting the integration of these people. It presents the ‘Casa dei Mirti’ in Palermo, which supports underage and unaccompanied refugees, and the ‘Casa Arcobaleno’ in Naples, a shelter for LGBTQI+ migrants. At the same time, it highlights the precarious situation of many people entitled to protection who become homeless after initial reception. Political developments such as the controversial Italy-Albania deal to externalise asylum procedures, the Elmasry affair and the espionage affair surrounding the Israeli software ‘Graphite’ raise questions about transparency, the rule of law and the protection of refugees' rights. Finally, the newsletter addresses discriminatory practices in the Italian healthcare system that make it difficult for migrants to access medical care.