Austria, cross-border solidarity ” “

 The international crisis in Syria and the ongoing flow of refugees and asylum-seekers for humanitarian causes, also caused by other ongoing conflicts have prompted remarkable efforts in terms of reception, along with medical and social emergency services by a number of European countries. Moreover, the economic costs of this undertaking cannot be overlooked. United Europe has not yet reached an agreement over a joint action, and while the efforts made by Italy, Spain and Malta are known, the same cannot be said for Austria, that has preserved ongoing relations with all those arriving from countries in the near and far East, who knocked on the doors of Europe. Between politics and charity. Austria and its capital Vienna are historically remembered as the last bulwarks against the expansion of Ottoman Islam, in the battle won by the Christian army exactly 330 years ago, on September 11-12 1683. In 2012, with 17.425 new asylum requests, Austria ranked sixth among EU countries in terms of refugees’ reception. Austria’s humanitarian intervention began in the areas where the crises broke out. “The number of refugees from Lebanon increases day after day – said Andreas Zinggl from the Lebanese camp for Syrian refugees in Nasr el Bared, near Tripoli -, but after two years of war in Damascus here at least they have a safe shelter”. Andreas is a Caritas worker in refugee camps: “Nasr el Bared also experiences the tragedy of Palestinian refugees who were forced to flee from refugee camps in Syria. Families share their homes with the newly-arrived refugees – Zinngl said -. The real problem are widespread lung diseases, diarrhea, as well as skin diseases, especially among children, scables and leishmaniasis”. Stefan Maier, coordinator for Caritas Austria in the Middle East, describes a situation of families made up by only women and traumatized children: “Roda’s case is typical of this situation: she’s a 25-year-old woman from Homs who fled the country with four children after her husband and brother were killed”. These single women’s tragedies are their utmost insecurity. “Roda’s father’s throat was slut at the first roadblock in Syria during their flight”, Maier continued. “We work mostly on primary needs, but we also devote our help to children, whose presence here in Dalhamieh is increasing”. Fund collection and basic necessities. In all Austrian parishes the local Caritas and Diakonie volunteers, along with the charity organizations of Protestant churches, promote fund collections to purchase monthly 60-euro family parcels with basic necessities, healthcare kits and diapers for children for humanitarian aid in refugee camps. In particular, humanitarian organizations in bordering Landers, like Voralberg and Vienna/Lower Ost are actively committed to optimize reception systems of all refugees and asylum-seekers. “We are constantly looking for people who can teach German, especially to children, a situation we already experienced with refugees from Chechnya – states Anja Peintner, from the volunteer Centre in Feldkirch -; there is an increasing need for social workers, given the growing number of people arriving for humanitarian reasons”. Austria promotes the fund-collection campaign “Nachbar in Not”, (“Close to their needs”) coordinated by national Caritas, by Orf network and by the Red Cross. A similar initiative has been already carried out past May, with donations amounting to 1.9 million euros. “Most of the people that have been forced to leave” their homes, their Country of origin, “have lost all they had. Many of them are women and children with major traumas, direly needing our support”, said Christoph Schweifer, Caritas general secretary for international issues. Among the promoters of the fund collection figure also Care, Diakonie, Hilfswerk, Order of Malta, the Samariter and Volkshilfe. Refugees in the convent. Past November some refugees sheltered in transit reception centres near Vienna took part in a protest march against Austrian policies. Shortly before Christmas the refugees had been sent away from the park in the city centre where they camped, and therefore sought shelter in the Votivkirche. The archdiocese and cardinal Christoph Schönborn offered protection, and Caritas assisted them. After several months spent in the Votivkirche, refugees were brought to a Servite convent of the archdioceses. They are currently assisted by Caritas and by other charity organizations.