杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The Rome-based Astalli Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a photographic exhibition recalling the thousands of migrants and refugees who have passed through the seat of the Italian Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).

The exhibit鈥檚 title鈥斺��Volti al Futuro鈥� or 鈥淔aces toward the Future鈥濃�攑lays on the Italian noun for faces (volti) which as a verb can also mean 鈥渄irected toward鈥� or 鈥渇acing鈥�. It is hosted at the Church of St. Andrew on the Quirinal Hill and will be open to the public until 28 November.

杏MAP导航 Francis opened the exhibition on Tuesday with a message reflecting on the millions of people who have been forced from their homes over the past 40 years.

History in 鈥楩orty鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 noted that the number forty has deep meaning in Bible, especially the 40 years which the people of Israel spent wandering in the desert before entering the Promised Land.

鈥淔reed from their slavery,鈥� he said, 鈥渋t took them an entire generation to rebuild themselves as a people, braving many difficulties.鈥�

The last 40 years in our own modern history have not been easy either, said the 杏MAP导航, and turned his thoughts to the refugees who have passed through the Astalli Center.

鈥淢any of you were forced to flee from conditions similar to those of slavery, which are based on the idea of a human person deprived of their own dignity and treated like an object,鈥� he said.

Flyer for the "Faces toward the Future" photo exhibit

Deserts of humanity

杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out that many refugees have known the terrible cost of war and the pain of seeing one鈥檚 land turn to dust and water dry up.

Forced to flee from such suffering, many refugees who have taken to the road have not found true freedom but rather ended up in the 鈥渄eserts of humanity鈥� marked by indifference.

The 杏MAP导航 lamented that the last 40 years have seen conflicts multiply as nationalism and populism result in nations building walls to keep out migrants.

鈥淗owever,鈥� he continued,鈥� in these past 40 years and in this desert, there have been many examples of hope which allow us to dream of walking together as a new people 鈥榯owards an ever-wider we鈥欌��.

Freedom in solidarity

The 杏MAP导航 said the many people helped by the Astalli Center鈥攁nd those who volunteer to assist them鈥攁re the faces of hope: 鈥淭housands of people extremely different from one another but united in the desire for a more just world in which dignity and rights are truly for all.鈥�

He said we can look to the future and dream of 鈥渓iving together as a people that is free because it lives solidarity, which knows how to rediscover community in freedom, living as a united-but-not-uniform people, rich in the diversity of many cultures.鈥�

The time has come, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渇or us to live in the Promised Land, a land of solidarity which puts us at the service of each other: it is the time of a common home made of peoples who are brothers and sisters.鈥�

Bridging over the gaps

In conclusion, the 杏MAP导航 said the Astalli Center鈥檚 photography exhibit can help build a culture of encounter where bridges are built over divisions.

鈥淭he faces of the women and men who make up this exhibit,鈥� he said, 鈥渄isplay the desire to be active in the cities in which we live and share life, and protagonists with full citizenship to build a community of solidarity together with many other men and women.鈥�