Italian
The first stage of the humanitarian trip, organized by Peace Network from April 24th to 30th, 2025, was in Bihac, a small town in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where immigrants from the Balkans arrive. They are rejected at the separation barrier, “the wall,” between Hungary and Serbia and Croatia, find comfort and protection at the JRS.
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The wall is actually a fence made of wire mesh, built starting from July 2015, along the border of the three aforementioned states. Built by the army and unemployed people and desired by the Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, this barbed wire and razor wire barrier is about 3.5 meters high and 523 kilometers long, extending along the entire Serbian and Croatian border. The wall was built in various phases that lasted until 2017.
But what is JRS? It was founded in November 1980 by Father Pedro Arrupe SJ, who was then the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, to respond to the difficult situation of Vietnamese refugees fleeing their war-torn homeland.
Inspired by generous love and the example of Jesus Christ, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organization with the mission to accompany, serve, and defend refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, so that they can heal, learn, and determine their own future.
JRS programs are currently present in over 50 countries, serving refugees, other forcibly displaced persons, and members of host communities. The main services provided focus on reconciliation, mental health and psychosocial support, education, and livelihoods. Occasionally, JRS also provides emergency aid and basic healthcare.
As we reached Bihac, s, that is the trio in the lottery that we tried to enter the borders with a 5% probability…
We arrive at this center, which is actually a two-story house. On the ground floor, there are warehouses and garages where donations of clothing, footwear, and everything needed for personal hygiene are collected. There is also a room for daily reception, where migrants can prepare a hot drink, meet to chat, warm up their lunch, wash up, and use the internet.
Then we go up to the upper room where there is a large hall, where we first had a presentation of the activities of the center by Amina, the center’s manager, and Jacob, a 19-year-old Austrian volunteer who completed high school and had to choose between civilian service and military service. Workshops were then organized with migrants and young people, allowing for a more in-depth understanding of migration issues.
At the end, there was a community dinner, where an even stronger personal relationship was built between the boys, the migrants, and the center staff.
While the operations were taking place, I was able to exchange a few words with some migrants not involved in the organized activity. Some of them told us, in broken English, that they actually reside in Lipa, the first camp, located near the wall, from where they were just turned back. To reach this assistance center in Bihac, they have to walk 34 km or use makeshift means of transportation. But they cover this distance almost every day because here they find what they need.
The day after, a group of 10 boys, representing the schools involved in the humanitarian trip (Duca degli Abruzzi, Mazzotti, Liceo scientifico Da Vinci from Treviso, and other institutes from the Veneto region) had the privilege of visiting the center of Lipa, in such a limited number for security reasons.
Upon their return, I interviewed two specific boys, Giulia and Luigi, about their impressions of what they had seen that had struck them. First of all, the place they arrived at was rather hidden but peaceful. At the entrance of the facility, there were many signs posted mentioning various sponsorships, including one from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting with the migrants took place in a room where there were assistants and guards. The immigrants were eager to talk, but often discouraged from doing so by those who were supervising them.
Giulia in particular informed me that this field can accommodate a maximum of 1700 people, who are housed in small houses/containers where there are 6 beds inside.
In this place, despite everything, they have the opportunity to express themselves artistically and refine their technological skills. A dear place to migrants is the barber shop, a meeting point for chats, where the service is often carried out by themselves. The refugees are mostly from Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. After attempting to cross the border, about 8 days later they receive a card for access to the camp.
Giulia has once again emphasized the emotional aspect of this experience: it was difficult to speak with such supportive people, thinking about what they went through before. And it seems absurd that they ask you, “How are you?”.
I believe that the experience these young people were able to live firsthand has changed their way of approaching the issue of immigration, because by meeting real people, they get to know their stories and motivations. This is something that the media’s information does not always manage to provide.
