Ukrainian communities in Italy meet Fr Massimo Nevola SJ: the first multifunctional centre will open in Naples

Rome, 24 November 2024 – representatives of the Ukrainian communities in Italy met Fr Massimo Nevola SJ, spiritual assistant of the Lega Missionaria Studenti (Student Missionary League). During the meeting Fr Nevola reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to supporting Ukrainian refugees, stressing the importance of a humane and caring approach towards those who have suffered because of the war.

Lara Levchun, President of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy – an organisation that brings together 46 Ukrainian communities and associations in the country – highlighted the urgent need to set up multifunctional centres for refugee children.

According to Levchun, although the children are settling well into Italian schools, thanks to the support of their classmates and teachers, they lack a connection with their own community. This social isolation stems from the fact that Ukrainian families in Italy consist mostly of mothers and underage children, who are living in difficult economic and psychological circumstances.

“Multifunctional centres like these could become a point of reference for children, a place where they would feel ‘at home’. As well as helping them make friends with other Ukrainian children, the centres should also provide psychological support, to help young Ukrainians feel part of a community again,” Levchun said.

During the meeting the project coordinator, Dr Giuseppe De Rosa, committed to organising Italy’s first multifunctional centre, Congress Home, in Naples. The centre will serve as a pilot for meeting the community’s needs, offering safe spaces for socialising, learning and psychological support.

The meeting ended with a shared agreement between the representatives of the Ukrainian communities, the Catholic Church and Dr De Rosa to put the project into practice as soon as possible. It will contribute to the well-being of refugees, especially children, while supporting integration and the preservation of cultural identity.