Introduction of migration.

Migration to Sardinia started in the early postwar decades

when more than 3000 employers from the continental area of Italy settled in Sardinia. In recent years, many migrants came from different countries, in particular from Central-Eastern Europe (mostly German and

Romanian)…

From Europe…

…from China, Morocco and Senegal. On December 31 of 2008 immigrants were estimated to be approximately 30,000, about 1.8% of the entire population of

Sardinia.

...from the rest of the world.

Migrants are integrated into our

city: they are mostly assistants for old

people, baby-sitters, but also business men,

salesmen and restaurant owners.

In Cagliari migrants are not

considered a problem;

indeed they are an important part

of our community.

In fact the city is one of the first

in Italy for the racial

integration.

Cagliari: the immigrant population at the

'Welcome brother’s day'

• Local people and immigrants came from all over Sardinia to attend to the "Hello brother“ party, that took place in Cagliari, where the Archbishop Giuseppe Mani and the Caritas - which is an association that works for peace and justice - brought together the representatives of 50 foreign communities of the island.

• The promoters and protagonists were interviewed before the party. Archbishop Mani said that Sardinia is a land known for its hospitality: “Qui il Signore ha messo tante belle cose, perchè non dovremmo condividerle con gli altri; ricordate che chiunque tocchi un uomo, di qualsiasi fede, sta toccando Dio."

In Cagliari there are a lot of other initiatives to increase

the racial integration:

San Pietro Church organizes the “Festa dei Popoli” in order to understand the foreign

culture.

“Santa Caterina” elementary school in the district of Castello, which celebrated its 100

years of service, receives many foreingn students.

The project “Comunimondo” was created to prevent racial discriminations.

• In Sant’Eulalia’s Church, in the district of Marina, the volountary service, (Servizio volontario europeo), helps the migrants, not only to learn Italian language, but also to solve any daily problem .

On the anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Senegal, Cagliari has organized an event in Monserrato.

On that occasion Papa Cheikh Saadibou Fall was invated.

In Cagliari there are a lot of other initiatives to

increase the racial integration:

We spoke with our foreign friends and they told us

their stories…

• My name is Samuel. I’m 27 years old. I live in Cagliari but I was born in Senegal. I came to Italy because I couldn’t find any job in my country and my friends suggested me to come in Italy; so I worked here to help my family which is in Senegal. My life here is better than before but there are some problems too; about the law, especially for the Bossi-Fini. I came to Italy by plane five years ago. For the future I want live in Italy. In Sardinia the integration is easier than in the rest of Italy even if there are some episodes of racism.

SAMUEL

• I am Alina and I come from Ukraine. I left my country to follow my Italian husband. Our economic, political and social situation in Ukraine was not very good and my husband worked there for just three years. I come from a very humble family and the quality of life isn’t very high, so I send some money to them every month. I got here in Italy by plane and my family remained in Ukraine. At the moment I’m not working and I am a housewife, but in my country I was a teacher. I feel well integrated in the Italian community for my character, because I am very extrovert. Now I have lived in Italy for 14 years and I do not want to return to my country but I hope to bring my family here in Cagliari.

ALINA

• My name is Manpreet and I'm from India. There the economic way of life was very difficult, in fact there is much poverty. I decided to come here because there isn’t much work in my country . I got in Italy by plane eight years ago. I left India with my wife, my sons, my brothers and sisters. As soon as we arrived in Sardinia we did not find a work, but some time later I became a driver; now also my wife works as a waitress. My family, particularly my sons, have not integrated well in the Italian community because we did not speak Italian well, but, in this moment, the situation has improved and we get on very well with Italian people. We like Sardinia so I think that we will not leave this country.

MANPREET

• I’m Patrick and I’m from Senegal. Senegal is a republic in Africa, but we live under some difficulties because of economic crisis, the separatist guerrilla warfare and for the shortage of food supplies many people die for hunger. This situation is similar to many states in the centre of Africa. I first arrived in England by plane, then by train, planes and other means of transport I’ve arrived in Rome; I lived there for 8 months, and then finally I’ve arrived in Cagliari by ship. I have been here for 28 years. My family is not with me: I’ve left my father, my mother and four brothers and sisters in Dakar; they are without job and they survive thanks to my help. Here in Cagliari I met a wholesaler in the fruit and vegetable market. He fancied me, and helped me to sell handicrafts to the wholesalers in the market.Now I am a street vendor and I sell handicrafts to the wholesalers. Find a job has been very easy because of my friends' help. I’ve integrated very easily, in fact now I have many friends and I’m glad to stay here. I earn a little money, but I don’t spend for the accommodation; therefore I can send money to my family.

PATRICK

• We spoke with a Chinese girl who came in Italy 7 years ago. She told us that she comes from Beijing, in China, where she thinks there isn’t much freedom. Her native country is growing very fast but there are also many social conflicts: there is much poverty in the city, the work is very hard, long hours and little rest for the workers. There are not many rich people. “My family and I are very poor, for this reason we had to emigrate. We are a large family and there wasn’t bread for everyone. Actually my parents still live in China while my brothers and sisters went to Germany. I came to Italy with my children and my husband by plane. We flew from our city to Rome, than we took another plane and finally we arrived in Cagliari. We spent all our savings on fare tickets. Here the people aren’t very friendly and we talk only among us, our Chinese friends and, since I have a small shop I speak with the clients on issues of trade. Although this, we think that we will stay in Cagliari, but I haven’t found the wealth and the happiness that I had imagined.

• My name is Abdul, I come from Morocco and I have lived in Cagliari for eight years with my daughter, while my wife is still in Morocco with my other sons. I arrived in Cagliari by plain, I am here because there aren't jobs in my country. The economic conditions in my country are of great poverty, as well is in my family. When I reached Cagliari I made some simple job as gardener; now instead I sell fruit and vegetable, while my daughter works with old people. For me and my daughter has not been easy to find a job and we have also had some difficulties to integrate in this city, but luckily I found people who trusted my daughter and me.

ABDUL

• Fatima, a Moroccan woman, is 58 years old; she’s been in Sardinia since 2001 with regular residence permit. She has got 3 sons: Fusia, Kadisha and Junes. Fusia came in Sardinia in 1991 to found a job and a family. She married in 2004 with a Sardinian man and she has a son and a daughter. Kadisha came in Italy in 1990 and was married with a Moroccan man; now she lives in Naples and she has 4 sons. Instead Junes is in Sardinia since she was 3 years old; his wife and daughter still live in Morocco. Fatima lived in France with sons and husband who worked there. But because she was widowed when she was 23 years old, she had to go back to Morocco to leave her little children with the grandmother; then she returned to France looking for another job. After a long time in France she decided to come to Cagliari. And now she works as a “nanny” she is taking care of her since 2001.

FATIMA

Thank you. 4^AMassimo Piga, M

artina

Milito, G

iulia Pizzi