” “” ” ” “Young immigrants, by living "the tension of a double belonging", are "often alone, halfway between two cultures, in a no-man’s land": it was said today in the Vatican Newsroom by cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the Papal Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Wanderers, as he presented the Papal Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees of 2008 (falling on January 13th), focussed on "Young migrants". "In our time, the number of young migrants has remarkably increased", commented cardinal Martino. For instance, family reunions are "a problem for the children", who "have to face major problems of social inclusion", all factors that "can also cause physical or mental diseases". Young immigrants, he specified, "breathe in the air of the youth world of the destination country and are influenced by the schools and the places of youth socialisation which they are part of and which they attend with their peers". At the same time, though, they have different ‘roots’ from those of their local friends". After all, he stated, "the immigrants’ children, apart from the possible acquisition of citizenship", in "their hearts and in the social perception, are considered ‘foreigners’ children’ and therefore ‘foreigners’ themselves". (continued)” “” “
