Credits: Bologna cares!

“The State steals our money to pay for the reception of asylum seekers, which is totally useless, while we are being increasingly deprived of our welfare benefits”. How many times have you heard this statement over the last few months? And, indeed, why should we all pay for the reception of people we don’t even know? The video was released on the occasion of the World Refugee Day 2016 and, created within the communication campaign Bologna Cares!, it provides a straightforward and positive answer to the populist claim that opened this article.

Bologna cares! is the communication campaign of the SPRAR (System of Protection for Asylum Seekers and Refugees) of the Town of Bologna, Italy, which was started in 2014 with the aim of raising awareness about international protection and asylum among the citizens of Bologna. The video is only one of several activities planned by the campaign: at the core of the animated video stands the idea that the reception of asylum seekers is a fundamental and positive activity in today’s and tomorrow’s social environment, and that reception is not only beneficial to asylum seekers but is also organic to the development of a healthy society. A well-structured reception system has positive and productive consequences on the whole social fabric, while the “lack of a welcoming reception” fosters poverty and marginalization. Opting for a steady reception means generating a system that produces relations, integration and growth.

For more information about the campaign, visit the Bologna cares! website.