“The current priority for immigrants and refugees is integration”. With this awareness, Caritas Europe a body representing the national Caritas agencies of 43 European countries organized the Migration Forum 2003 at the Escorial (near Madrid) from 12 to 15 June. The meeting brought together coordinators for immigration of Europe’s Caritas agencies and representatives of other groups involved. The Spanish episcopal Commission for migration, chaired by Bishop Ciriaco Benavente, has repeatedly warned of the risk of criminalizing the immigrant. In this sense the document signed by all the Spanish bishops for the last Migrants’ Day is indicative: a document in which they urge that “the immigrant be seen as a brother and not as an enemy; as a partner and not as a threat”. The bishops are concerned “by society’s view of immigration, perceived as a danger”. At the Migration Forum discussion also focused on interreligious dialogue and migrations, citizenship and policies of integration. Another meeting promoted by Caritas Europe focused instead on “EU enlargement: towards a fair Europe”. During the meeting, held at the headquarters of Caritas Europe in Brussels on 19 June, the document on the position of Caritas Europe as regards enlargement was presented (see further page 2).
