On the occasion of June 20, the World Day for Refugees and the Displaced, the #YoSoyTierraDeAcogida (which roughly translates as “I am a land that takes in refugees”) initiative has been launched as a way to gain support for the manifesto demanding policies to take in refugees and respect human rights. This initiative forms part of the Hospitalidad.es campaign, which furthers the full range of social works by Jesuits in Spain and intends to contribute to promoting a culture of solidarity and inclusiveness towards all of the people who reach our borders, calling for people not to forget those who have been unable to escape from conflicts, or those currently in transit. It is a cry for taking in migrants and refugees.

The event will allow people to speak out who are familiar with the process which occurs when people are forced to leave their country of origin and apply for asylum. They are the experts to whom the World Day of Refugees and the Displaced is meant to give a voice. 

This conference will be presented by Pedro Villena, the General Director of Casa Árabe; Alberto Ares sj, a delegate of the Social Sector of the Jesuits in Spain, and Daniel Villanueva sj, coordinator of the Cooperation area of the Jesuits in Spain. 

It will include the participation of Amina Al Zein, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon and the director of the Telyany School of the Jesuit Service for Refugees; Mohannad Doughem, a Syrian-Palestinian asylum applicant in Seville, as well as an engineer and musician; Ana María, a Central American woman residing in Spain with a rejected asylum application; Juan María, a Guinean professor residing in Spain who has been waiting for a response to his asylum application for seven years, and Cristina Manzanedo, who is responsible for the Incidence area of the campaign Hospitalidad.es.