ROME – Caritas organisations around the globe are celebrating World Refugee Day by organising a week of shared meals and activities for migrants and refugees.

 The Global Week of Action, which will take place on June 17-24, is part of the two-year Share the Journey campaign.

 This movement, which was launched by Pope Francis in Sept 2017, aims to promote dialogue and understanding between communities, migrants and refugees. During the launch, the pontiff reminded everyone that not all migrants are on a journey, but also the communities which they leave and which receive them.

 Talking about the Global Week of Action, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, president of Caritas Internationalis, said: “We invite you to sit down together with migrants and refugees in your community, to look into their eyes, listen to their stories and to share your own.” 

 “Our journeys start with a moment of sharing which helps us recognise the bonds which bind the whole of humanity together.  We are invited to have compassion and courage to open our hearts and minds to the people we don’t yet know and to share the journey with them.” 

 Caritas Internationalis, along with Caritas Rome and Italy, will be hosting a meal with migrants and refugees at the Termini Station soup kitchen on June 19.

 So far they've created hundreds of moments of encounter and support with migrants and refugees as part of the Share the Journey campaign, together with other religious organisations.

 The initiatives they create are aimed at bringing communities closer together, particularly promoting relationships with migrants and refugees.

 A few examples include: Social experiments such as “My Mirror”, where strangers are invited to look into each other’s eyes to bring down barriers by Caritas Ambrosiana in Milan; the creation of “Share the Journey socks” by Catholic Relief Services in the United States; Caritas Cyprus promotes the sharing of handbags full of essential toiletries with women refugees. 

 Contact your national or diocesan Caritas organisation here to find out if they are organising a meal or an event, or sign up to organise your own meal here.