Call for Papa Leone to Visit Tarsia After Lampedusa: International Cemetery Visit for Migrants

Following the historic visit of Papa Leone to the island of Lampedusa, Franco Corbelli, leader of the Civil Rights Movement (Movimento Diritti Civili), made a call of great symbolic and humanitarian value. Corbelli invited the Pope to visit the International Migrant Cemetery, currently under construction in Tarsia, which he described as the world's largest humanitarian project in response to the migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean. This invitation aims to build a bridge between Lampedusa, a symbol of migrant encounters, and Tarsia, which will be dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives at sea. Corbelli's call emphasizes the need for a dignified burial for the thousands of migrants who have died while seeking asylum in the European continent. The visit is expected to send a strong message to the world, and particularly to the European Union, regarding the issue of migration.

Franco Corbelli described Papa Leone's visit to Lampedusa as a highly significant gesture that also follows in the footsteps of his unforgettable predecessor, Papa Francesco. The leader of the Civil Rights Movement stated that through his speeches and demeanor on the island, the Pope highlighted one of the greatest tragedies of our time experienced by migrant populations. In this context, Corbelli addressed the Pope with an open letter via the social media platform Facebook and the Southern daily newspaper Altravoce. The focal point of this address is the request to extend the post-Lampedusa route to Tarsia in the Calabria region. Corbelli emphasized that this visit would be a unique opportunity to draw attention to a structure that will preserve the memory of the women, men, and children who perished in the depths of the Mediterranean while fleeing war, persecution, and famine.

Another poignant moment during the Pope's visit to Lampedusa was his visit to the graves of some migrants who lost their lives during overseas journeys and whose names are unknown. The Pontiff's act of leaving flowers and praying at these nameless graves—including those of children—sparked a massive reaction in the international public opinion. Inspired precisely by this spiritual moment, Franco Corbelli explained the underlying philosophy of the project in Tarsia. The Tarsia International Migrant Cemetery project is designed as a colossal monument aimed at eliminating the cruelty brought about by anonymous and fragmented burial procedures. Corbelli stated that they aim to ensure migrants scattered across small cemeteries in regions like Sicily and Calabria are brought together under one roof to receive the respect they deserve.

The preparations for the aforementioned International Migrant Cemetery project began exactly thirteen years ago, immediately following the massive tragedy on October 3, 2013, off the coast of Lampedusa, where numerous migrants lost their lives. This massive cemetery, being built on a large area in Tarsia, will bear the name of the young Syrian child Alan Kurdi. In September 2015, Alan Kurdi lost his life on a Turkish beach along with his brother Galip and their young mother Rehana, becoming the face of a tragedy that deeply shook the entire world. In this context, Corbelli stated that the cemetery will not only be a symbol for Italy or Europe, but a symbol of a global human drama, and will provide a home for all migrants who have a story or remain nameless. Once the project is completed, the journey of hope that began in Lampedusa will come to a dignified end in Tarsia, and those who have lost their lives will not be forgotten.

For years, the island of Lampedusa has been both a gateway of hope and a site of numerous tragedies for migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean. By visiting this symbolic island, Pope Leone's warning to the European Union (EU) about its 'heavy responsibilities' in preventing these deaths has brought the issue back to the global agenda. Corbelli's call to the Pope reflects the belief that this humanitarian step taken in Lampedusa must turn into a concrete monument in Tarsia. If the visit takes place, this bridge between the two Italian cities will go down in history as a symbol of solidarity and human dignity against the Mediterranean migration crisis. The International Migrant Cemetery in Tarsia is intended to serve as a common memorial site for all lives lost, with the goal of completing its construction as soon as possible.