Buenos Aires – Representatives from 40 migrant communities living in Argentina were received Wednesday (20/2) by Pope Francis, at a public audience held in the Vatican Paul VI Audience Hall. The meeting was described as historic since it is the first time a national delegation of migrant communities has visited His Holiness.  

The visit was a joint initiative by the National Secretary´s Office of Human Rights and Cultural Pluralism (SDH, by its Spanish acronym), the Argentine Federation of Migrant Communities and the Observatory of Migrant Communities. Representatives from the National Directorate for Migration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were also part of the attendees.  

 “It is a miracle, you were able to gather all of them,” Pope Francis congratulated the Secretary of Human Rights and Cultural Pluralism Claudio Avruj, referring to the communities. “It is an immense honour to be part of this delegation,” replied Avruj. 

At the meeting, the declaration “Argentina: A Mosaic of Identities” was presented to the Holy Father. The document, signed last 8 February by the Secretary´s Office, the Federation and the Observatory, reaffirms the commitment of the SDH towards working with Argentina’s civil society within the framework of the 2017-2020 National Action Plan on Human Rights of Argentina. The declaration also mentions the will to make joint headway with IOM and UNCHR regarding the protection and promotion of human rights of migrants and refugees. 

IOM Regional Director for South America, Diego Beltrand, remarked: “It is always inspirational to listen to His Holiness Pope Francis and his words of support for migrants and refugees, as well as his teachings about welcoming, protecting and integrating them.” 

Beltrand also thanked the Argentine government, especially the Secretary´s Office of Human Rights and Cultural Pluralism and the National Directorate for Migration, for their invitation to participate in this visit to the Vatican with the representatives from migrant communities in Argentina.  

“We are happy to have taken part, with Argentine migrant communities and government representatives, of this emotive visit where the significant contribution of migrants and the importance of intercultural dialogue for their integration were reinforced,” said IOM Argentina Head of Office Gabriela Fernández.  

The SDH and IOM Argentina implement several activities in partnership, among them training sessions for the “Educating in Interculturality” programme managed by the Secretary; the publication “Migration and Interculturality. A Guide for Developing and Strengthening Skills in Intercultural Communication” and the presence of IOM Argentina at events such as the Commemoration Day for Acknowledging, Valuing and Raising Awareness on the historical contribution of Afro descendants to the construction of Argentina, and the First and Second National Meetings of Migrant Communities Authorities. On 30 May 2018, both entities signed an agreement by which their cooperation was officialized, with the purpose of continuing their work toward the promotion and protection of migrants and emphasizing the value of plurality and diversity.  

Within the context of the meeting, a visit to  the IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, which is also the Representation Office to the Holy See, was organized in order to exchange experiences and best practices on migration matters. The importance of pluralism and of the collaboration between migrant communities and international organizations was underlined at the event.  

For more information please contact Débora Taicz at IOM Argentina, Tel: +54 11 48151035, Email: dtaicz@iom.int.