Rui Marques, coordinator of Refugee Support Platform (PAR), is one of three guests at the conference “Refugee crisis: a challenge for Europe”, which takes place this Tuesday, December 1st, at 21 pm, at the Auditorium of the School of Health, in Faro (next to the Municipal Theater).
In addition to Rui Marques, who represents Civil Society in this debate panel, the other guests are António Branco, rector of the University of Algarve, who represents Higher Education, and also Elisabete Rodrigues, newspaper director Sul Informação, by Social Communication.
The guest speakers will present their perspectives, at a time when the refugee crisis in Europe has gained prominence in the world press and has generated several political and humanitarian problems. The world is experiencing the biggest refugee crisis since World War II. According to Amnesty International data, there are currently 59,5 million refugees worldwide.
The debate is open to the public, as civil society is invited to participate. According to the organizers, "a radical change is needed in the way the world treats refugees, through an in-depth review of policies and practices, which will allow the creation of a coherent and comprehensive global strategy".
Rui Marques, coordinator of PAR, was recently in Lebanon to observe on-site visit how it is used in Cáritas and JRS projects, the help sent by the Portuguese to Syrian refugees who are trying to escape the war and bombings on the other side of the border there.
The University of Algarve became a partner of Refugee Support Platform (PAR), last October, following the collaboration it has been maintaining with the Global Platform for Emergency Academic Assistance to Syrian Students, an initiative promoted in Portugal by the former president of the Republic Jorge Sampaio.
As part of its educational and outreach mission, including the voluntary aspect, UAlg made itself available to contribute to the reception of refugees who may be welcomed in the Algarve, namely by offering courses in Portuguese Language and Culture and others similar initiatives that can help to integrate this numerous group of suffering people.
For its part, the Sul Informação is also, since this month of November, partner of PAR, even being the first regional newspaper in the whole country with such status.. The goal is, second Elisabete Rodrigues, «to contribute to clarifying public opinion, namely the Algarve, on the issue of refugees» and to make known the ways «how we can all help to receive these people in the best way, in Portugal and in the Algarve».
The conference “Refugee crisis: a challenge for Europe” is part of the program organized by the Volunteer Group UAlg V+, to mark the International Day of Volunteering, which is celebrated on December 5th.
The complete UAlg V+ Volunteer Week program can be found at www.ualg.pt/pt/content/week-of-voluntariado
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