On the 24th of September 2023, the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) will be celebrated and promoted by Pope Francis and the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.

This year, the theme chosen by the Holy Father for this important day is “free to choose whether to migrate or to stay” that makes us reflect on the fundamental right for individuals to decide for themselves whether or not to leave their homeland.

As you know, one of WUCWO’s resolutions concerns the common commitment to build a future with migrants and refugees through concrete actions like:

-        protecting and integrating them in the community;

-        promoting volunteering in favour of the most vulnerable migrants;

-        making the deaths that occur during irregular migration visible.

Since the WUCWO working groups related to our resolutions are still to be integrated, we ask all of you and your organisations and communities to collaborate and give visibility to this important day. Indeed, the Dicastery invites each of us to promote and support this path of solidarity undertaken by the Church to combat the forced migration, and also to defend the freedom to leave or stay of every human being.

It would be wonderful if you could think about concrete actions to put into practice in your community that could really help our brothers and sisters in this struggle for freedom. To support the preparation, both spiritually and with concrete actions, we suggest to:

1.     read and disseminate the inspirational message of Pope Francis for this occasion; 

2.     download and share the various resources prepared by the Dicastery;

3.     write an article or this news on your organisation’s newsletter, website, social networks to encourage prayer and solidarity for migrants and refugees;

4.     around the 24th of September try to organise a concrete initiative to help a group of migrants or refugees near you

Together we can really do something concrete to help our brothers and sisters in need and raise awareness on this sensitive topic.

Let us entrust our mission to Mary, Queen of Peace and patroness of WUCWO so that every migrant and refugee can find a place of peaceful coexistence in the world.