A group of twenty German families living in Aljezur and surroundings created an initiative to provide support to refugees who will be welcomed in Portugal. The idea, according to Raban von Metzingen, one of the mentors of the initiative, is “to integrate all Germans living in Portugal into this”.
For this reason, Raban, who has lived in that county of Costa Vicentina for more than a decade and a half, has already contacted a counselor at the German Embassy in Portugal, who was «very happy with our initiative». More or less informal contacts have also been made with the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF).
Raban and Nelly von Metzingen's appeal to their compatriots was launched on 21 July, even before the most shocking images filled television screens and made the front pages of newspapers. At that time, "more than twenty German-speaking families" responded to the appeal, but, Raban admitted to the Sul Informação, «we had to note, however, that the potential of our municipality is insufficient for a campaign of this magnitude. We are, therefore, trying to find partners across the country so that, together, we can sensitize civil society – Portuguese and foreigners residing here – on the theme of monitoring refugees».
«What we also want is to bring together Germans from all over the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto, the rest of the country, join German schools, German churches, so that we can all help, as much as possible, these refugees who will come to Portugal », explained Raban to our newspaper.
And help how? That is what will now be defined, but Raban von Metzingen adds: “How can I help? People will tell us: I have time, I have a house to take them in or I can lend a house, I have money, I have experience in teaching, I can take care of a child, I can speak their language» .
«Together with other institutions, such as, for example, ADPHA, the very active local archaeological association (guardian of the great Moorish heritage), or with Amovat, the association of the English, we could think of creating a school to accompany the refugees in a way adequate, in terms of language, but also in other areas. Psychological support will be especially important as many have been through extremely difficult situations. And it is obvious that we would also have to think about providing work for refugees who, for sure, will want to resume an active life».
Furthermore, adds Von Metzingen, "we must take special care, and this is my wife's personal opinion, of the many orphaned children among the refugees."
This German, who was a high-ranking official in German diplomacy in several countries and is now retired, has already come into contact with several Portuguese institutions that are concerned with the issue of refugees, namely those linked to the Catholic Church, such as the Portuguese Catholic Migration Works, from so that you can coordinate your efforts.
But Raban von Metzingen doesn't just want to involve the Germans in this initiative, he also wants to reach out to the British and Dutch residing in the Algarve and Portugal. "We are all peoples with experience in these situations, so we have to unite in this cause," he explained. And also the Portuguese can and should get involved.
Initially, Von Metzingen will start in his neighborhood, namely by contacting the association Amovat, of English owners in Vale da Telha, but he wants to go further.
As an organizational structure for this work, «one could think about the creation of a specific, non-profit association open to all citizens of Aljezur, or cooperation with the Portuguese-German cultural association Tertúlia, if so willing. to collaborate in the challenges that are presented to us».
And why the Germans? The initiative's mentor responds, even recalling Portugal's role in another conflict that generated waves of refugees: «we all remember that, during World War II, a large number of German fugitives, including Jews and opponents of Nazism, encountered here in Portugal, in the poorest country in Europe at the time, a temporary shelter, before they could emigrate abroad».
On the other hand, Von Metzingen recalls “the positive role of returnees. Let us also remember that more than half a million returnees from the former Portuguese colonies in Africa have remade their lives in Portugal, well received by their compatriots, making a strong contribution to the country's development».
It is this “welcome” heritage that Raban von Metzingen now hopes to be able to recruit for this initiative. Furthermore, he argues, the refugees who come to Aljezur will be very positive, because they will bring “fresh blood” to an aging municipality. “As we know all too well from our own post-war history [in Germany], refugees always bring with them a wealth of new ideas from completely different worlds, and they bring new life, even to us who are partly of age. more advanced. And by the way, the Germans from Aljezur have already demonstrated their community spirit in more modest initiatives in the past».
“Central Europe is facing an unexpected number of refugees, mainly from Syria. Germany alone is forecasting up to 850 immigrants this year. Given these numbers, it is likely that Portugal will have to accept more refugees than anticipated so far. We have to be prepared for that!”
Precisely to "deliberate how we can organize ourselves and how we are going to cooperate with other private and administrative institutions in the country", tomorrow, 8 September, in the afternoon, there will be a meeting at Raban and Nelly's house, on the outskirts of the village of Aljezur.
If anyone, German, Portuguese, English, Dutch or of any other nationality, wants to collaborate, in Aljezur, Algarve or the rest of Portugal, you can contact with
“Refugees for Aljezur Initiative”
8671-909 Aljezur, Apartado 19,
Tel. 282998532
email: [email protected]
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