Lampedusa: the Gate of Europe - OneEurope Lampedusa: the Gate of Europe The vibrant multicultural artistic scene of the island of Lampedusa - the positive effects of cross-cultural encounter 24 Oct 2013 | tags: Europe , Italy , integration , Culture , refugees , Lampedusa and illegal immigration "La porta d'Europa", work of the artist Mimmo Paladino. After the last tragic shipwreck of migrants, Europe and the rest of the world discovered the existence of the little island of Lampedusa . Nowadays inhabitants of Lampedusa are called to face a big challenge: to overcome their isolated status and to open up to a likely integration process. Integration is not easy, of course, but it could be a good stimulus for Lampedusa, and lead to excellent cultural results. But the question is: is it really possible for a “lost rock” in the middle of the sea to become a meeting point for different cultures and art expressions? Can Lampedusa become a inter-socio-cultural hub between the North and South sides of the Mediterranean Sea ?

While the majority of Europeans consider the shipwreck on 3rd October just a single tragic episode, for all Lampedusani (the inhabitants of Lampedusa), it was an almost daily tragic event. As a matter of facts, shipwrecks began more than ten years ago, when migration fluxes started to flood the southern area of the Mediterranean Sea , but in all these years nobody has really paid attention to that issue. If Italian politics were too occupied in approving a couple of discriminatory bills against immigrants, the rest of Europe ignored the situation, following the idea that every country should solve its own problems. In this way, inhabitants of Lampedusa and Sicily have been left to solve the matter of migration by themselves, although migration is not just an Italian issue, since there are important migratory fluxes towards many other European countries. In all Europe only Malta risks the same problems in the same way as Lampedusa. In fact, sometimes there are diplomatic incidents between Malta Malta have difficulties in deciding the local competence of receiving migrants. There are many different causes that provoke migration fluxes, but the political crisis which afflicts many countries in Africa and in the Middle East has worsened the situation.

It is not so easy to find working solutions for migration problems and difficulties, but history taught us that culture and education can be a positive way to make people meet and get to know each other, enriching the culture of the local area, too. Inhabitants of Lampedusa don’t want to be regarded as “pitiful” just because of the situation in which they have been involved. But at the same time Lampedusani want to live a normal life, without forgetting those tragedies, but without fishing corpses as well. Those sea tragedies sensitized different artists and creative people, who felt the necessity to express themselves and create something for the inhabitants of the island, stimulating people of different cultures to accept and integrate each other. For this reason the little island of Lampedusa could take advantage of the mass migration and its positive consequences to become a good example for the rest of Europe . But before continuing with the article, it would be better to give some information about Lampedusa. The Italian Island is the largest one of the Pelagies, an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea (very close to Malta) and it belongs to the Autonomous Region of Sicily (province of Agrigento).

Lampedusa is the town hall of its municipality, which includes all the three islands of the archipelago (for a total of 6.304 inhabitants). This archipelago is closer to the African coasts rather than to the Italian ones. Distances: Lampedusa-Tunisia: 127 km . In the last years the culture sector has been increasingly developed in Lampedusa, creating events, founding institutions, promoting works of art. All of them have been created with the same aim: to enrich the culture of the island, supporting immigrants and local inhabitants. Askavusa: Cultural Centre and Migration Museum Askavusa is a socio-cultural association founded in March 2009. It was created with the purpose of promoting and fostering social and cultural activities contributing to develop a collective identity. The association aims to promote anti-racism and multiculturalism, contributing to increase the cultural and civic sense of the community. During the year 2011 Askavusa decided to provide a space where migrants could find what they were missing in the immigrants shelter: a shower, a meal, clean clothes, and legal advises.

The association also manages a little museum, in which are collected many peculiar objects abandoned by migrants in their ships, once arrived at Lampedusa. In addition, Askavusa organizes some events, such as Lampedusa Infestival. Lampedusa Infestival is a short film festival (fiction, documentary or video clips of maximum 45') which takes place in July. The slogan of the event is: Encounter With the Other, reflecting an emphasis on stories of travel and integration. In 2011 and in 2012 the event received the Medal of Honor by the President of the Italian Republic and was selected in 2012 by UNAR (the Italian national antiracist office) as good practice against racism. The Festival is a competition for filmmakers from all over the world and has as its main theme the migrations of both humans and animals. The aim is to highlight these film travel and life stories through various initiatives, but not exclusively contemporary event. The competition section dedicated to migration, is enriched by a second one, which is subjected to changes every year.

One feature that makes this festival very special, is the fact that the organizers (scattered throughout Italy, London and Brussels) develop together the planning stage of the event almost entirely through Skype conferences. The event is also self-financed and carried out by Italians and foreigners volunteers. O’Scià is a music festival conceived by the Italian singer Claudio Baglioni in 2003 and it is performed every year in September. The title of the event is given by a word of the local dialect, O’Scià, which means “my breath” and which is used by the inhabitants of the island as a friendly greeting. The event was born as a form of awareness about the problem of illegal immigration. In this festival are involved many famous Italian and foreigners singer and songwriters. Since 2004, thanks to the growing success of the event both in terms of audience participant of media attention, O’Scià has obtained important institutional awards, becoming one of the most interesting art exhibitions with social purposes in Europe. This festival has been sponsored by the European Commission and received support from many international organizations such as the United Nations, the High Commissioner for Refugees and Amnesty International.

From the fifth edition, the event became a traveling festival, being performed also in other Mediterranean countries. In 2007 it was the turn of Malta in a concert held at the port of Valletta with the participation of Italian and Maltese artists. The intentions of the organizers is to stage the festival also in Spain, in Morocco and in Libya, but economical and political crisis don’t simplify its production. Furthermore the idea is to involve all the people of the Mediterranean area in a sort of permanent and traveling "forum", a meeting in which music and art could help to promote respect for human rights, civil coexistence and values of integration. Vento del Nord – North Wind Vento del Nord is a festival of cinema, comedy and literature, which shows newest released films and the most recent documentaries dedicated to the Sicilian cinema with a special attention to movies based on literature. The show takes place every year in Lampedusa in August and it is conceived and organized by the Italian actor Massimo Ciavarro. Apart from the Sicilian section, North Wind aims to be a rendez-vous of movies and literatures between the North and the South coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.

For this reason every year there is a selection of international films in which it is possible to recognize the contrast between different cultures, landscapes and ideas. In addition, there is also a special section dedicated to the geographical North area of the world, and an important attention is given to the short films created by the students of Lampedusa, who are invited to take part in a competition named La mia isola (My island). Italia di notte (Italy by Night) is another section of the Festival, and it is a selection of seven Italian films of the previous season, chosen among most important success. This last section is really appreciated by the inhabitants of Lampedusa, since the island is devoid of a movie theater from many years. Porta d’Europa – Gate of Europe This monument was inaugurated on June 28th 2008 and was dedicated to the memory of migrants who lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea . This gate was placed on a cliff exposed to the sea because Lampedusa is seen by many immigrants as the gate of Europe . The artist is the Italian Domenico Palladino and it consists of a building of almost five meters high and three meters wide, made ​​of refractory ceramic.

According to the artist: the fundamental sense of this work is to bring to memory the last twenty years in which we have seen thousands of migrants dying at sea, in an inhumane way, in an attempt to reach Europe, a massacre without witnesses, often without burial, and therefore without pity. The intent is to deliver this tragedy to next generations. A symbol that helps us not to forget, but it is also a place for reflection. This monument has received the patronage of the United Nations, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Italian Ministry of Interior and the Region of Sicily. Edited by: Celeste Concari Lampedusa: Why Europe must be open to refugees fleeing persecution - CNN.com 6 of 6 Story highlights Too many people are dying in their attempts to reach safety in Europe, writes Maurice Wren This incident is an appalling reminder of what happens when people escaping persecution are denied access to safety, he says Wren: In the absence of safe, legal ways to reach European territories, refugees are forced into dangerous and abusive situations European governments must work in solidarity to ensure people fleeing human rights violations and persecution are given entry, he says The events unfolding off the coast of Lampedusa are both tragic and shocking .

More than a hundred people are confirmed dead and the death toll is almost certain to rise dramatically. Although it may be awful, sadly this is neither an unusual nor unfamiliar story. According to the UNHCR, in 2012, some 15,000 migrants and asylum-seekers reached Italy and Malta and almost 500 people were reported dead or missing at sea. The figures are damning and shameful. Too many people are dying in their attempts to reach safety in Europe and much more needs to be done to address the root causes of why people risk their lives in this way. One thing is clear -- this latest incident is an appalling reminder of what happens when people escaping persecution are denied access to safety at the EU's frontiers. While we don't know the personal circumstances of everyone on board this particular boat, we do know that the majority were from Somalia and Eritrea, two of the top 10 sources of refugees in the world, according to the UNHCR. Both are countries with well documented human rights abuses. Given this, it's reasonable to believe that a number of people on board were refugees, fleeing persecution and seeking safety in Europe where there are substantial and settled Somali and Eritrean communities.

JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Dozens dead in Italian boat accident 01:10 Yet there's been considerable head scratching in the media about why people would put themselves at such risk. Why would you get on an overcrowded, potentially unseaworthy vessel and risk your life to make it to Lampedusa? For refugees, the answer is simple -- what they're leaving behind is much, much worse. Somalia and Eritrea's human rights abuses are well documented. Sexual violence and torture are commonplace. For refugees, staying at home -- or 'going back to where they came from' -- is not an option. Difficult though it may be for us to comprehend, for refugees, paying smugglers and boarding these boats is a rational decision. The problem is compounded by the lack of safe, legal routes into Europe. The Refugee Convention -- a legal framework which defines who refugees are, their rights and the legal obligations of countries -- recognizes that people fleeing for their lives may have to resort to illegal entry. This drives refugees to take even greater risks to escape.

European countries have a legal obligation to provide protection under the Refugee Convention but during the last decade the continent's borders have become heavily securitized, with millions of pounds invested in Frontex, the agency established by the EU to strengthen Europe's borders and protect the continent against unwanted illegal migrants. These measures should not apply to individuals escaping war and persecution -- the theoretical beneficiaries of legally sanctioned protection and compassion -- but refugees are often forced to resort to the same irregular channels to leave their country of origin and travel towards safety. Europe's formidable migration control apparatus does not sufficiently differentiate between individuals who may be in need of international protection and other migrants. In the absence of safe, legal ways to reach European territories, refugees are forced into dangerous and abusive situations, and often obliged to embrace the perils of life-threatening journeys and the unscrupulous services of smugglers. Boarding an overcrowded boat bound for Italy would possibly have been the last stage in a long and dangerous journey for many of those on that voyage. Some of them possibly didn't even know where they were headed. European governments must work in solidarity to ensure people fleeing human rights violations and persecution are given entry. When people are in need of our help, we must live up to our international obligations and offer it.

Only then can we be sure we are doing all we can to prevent more deaths. We must keep a door to safety open for refugees and develop ways of identifying those with protection needs among the broader flow of migrants. As yesterday's events have shown, it's a matter of life and death. Lampedusa 2017: Best of Lampedusa Tourism - TripAdvisor Things to Do More Italy’s southernmost island, Lampedusa lies between Malta and Tunisia and is geographically part of the African continent. The largest of the Pelagian Islands, Lampedusa is arid and gets its only fresh water from rainfall. In summer, it is served by low-cost Italian airlines with direct flights from several mainland cities, as well as ferry service from Sicily. Lampedusa is treasured by visitors for its fine white sandy beaches, its clear turquoise waters and its excellent scuba diving. Read more Read less Lampedusa | Italy Lampedusa Submitted by admin on Wed, 07/29/2015 - 16:00 Lampedusa, Sicily Lampedusa Island, Sicily Lampedusa is an island located in the Pelagie group of Islands in Sicily in Italy.

The island is the largest one in the group of islands and is the southernmost island in Sicily; it is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The island is only 3 Km wide and is 12 Km long. Lampedusa has a very vibrant culture and a historic past since over the centuries it has been inhabited by quite a lot of different nationalities and tribes including the Romans, Arabs and Greeks. The buildings, culture and the architecture still retain the influences of all these different inhabitants from centuries ago. Agriculture, tourism and fishing are the main industries. However, the island is mainly known for illegal immigration that it has suffered from in the recent years. Boats off the Rabbit beach, Lampedusa Ph. depositphoto.com/gandolfos Attractions on Lampedusa Island Lampedusa is a very quiet island and the best thing to do while here is to enjoy the natural beauty of the island. Most visitors come to the island to visit the beautiful beaches, spend time relaxing in the sun and swim in the cool waters. There aren't many activities to do here; except for the beaches and the nature trails.

The Beaches Lampedusa has quite a lot of beaches; several of them are pretty famous and tend to get very busy and crowded during the main tourist seasons. However, there are plenty more beaches on the island which are still hidden from the tourists and are mostly known only to locals. Visitors who have rented a scooter or a moped can easily spend their time looking for a few beautiful deserted beach to spend their time in solitude and privacy. Most beaches are good for swimming, the waves are not very strong so they are perfect for families with kids. The Island of the Rabbits The island of the rabbits or as it is popularly known here, l'Isolotto dei Conigli is a good place to visit as a day excursion from Lampedusa. The island got its name since it was once filled with rabbits, however, now only a few rabbits can be spotted. The island is quite small and is a good place to visit to enjoy its lovely beaches and to just relax with an afternoon picnic lunch. The island remains mostly deserted during the weekdays and only a few people visit here on weekends. Ferries and boats are available from Lampedusa to reach this island.

Visitors can also hire their own motor boat and visit the island on their own. Hiking Trails The island of Lampedusa is quite lush and is rich in local flora and fauna. There are several different nature and hiking trails around the island, marked and unmarked. Since many parts of the island remain relatively deserted it is an enjoyable experience to just walk around the trails and enjoy the beautiful views of the sea. Those who are interested in nature would definitely love to walk around the island. Just be careful of the heat, bring water and a hat during the hot season. Scuba Diving Lampedusa is also quite popular for scuba diving since there are a few diving sites around the island. The water is exceptionally clear and is reach in sea life which makes it quite enjoyable to dive and explore the marine life. Those who are experienced can rent the diving gear from the shops on the island. The exact location of the diving spots can be found out at the same shops. There are also a few places that have their own diving instructors for those who are still new to scuba diving. A beach in Lampedusa. Ph.

Tommaso Sparma on flickr Getting to Lampedusa Island The only way to reach the island is by ferry and plane. The large boats and ferries depart every few minutes from several destinations in Sicily. Porto Empedocle is located quite close to Lampedusa and most ferries coming in to the island are from there. The ferries do not take long to reach the island from Porto Empedocle. During summers, hydrofoil services are generally used instead of ferries. The hydrofoils are much quicker than the traditional ferries, but these also tend to be very crowded due to hordes of tourists that visit the island in the summer months. The tickets are very inexpensive and it doesn't take long to reach the island. It is best to avoid travelling during the peak rush hours. Stay and Accommodation Lampedusa is not a very large island; however, since it is seeing a rising trend in tourism it does have some good places for accommodation. There are some expensive as well as some budget hotels, most of which are quite comfortable and clean. Some good hotels to try while on the island are Le Pelagie Hotel, Villaggio La Rocca, Medusa Hotel SRL and Hotel Baia Turchese.

Eating Out on Lampedusa There are a few good restaurants that serve Sicilian and Italian cuisine. There are also a few places that serve good pizza and other European fare. Ristorante Gamilli, Borge Cala Creta and Ristorante Belvedere are the best known places to eat in Lampedusa. Shopping in Lampedusa There are quite a lot of places on the island that sell locally made pottery, wooden items, souvenirs and some good places to purchase Italian wines. Lampedusa Island | island, Italy | Britannica.com Lampedusa Island Alternative Titles: Isola di Lampedusa, Lopadussa Related Topics island Lampedusa Island, Italian Isola di Lampedusa, Latin Lopadussa, largest (area 8 square miles [21 square km]) of the Isole Pelagie (Pelagie Islands), an island group that includes Linosa and Lampione islets. Administratively Lampedusa is part of the autonomous region of Sicily in Italy . It is located in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia , 105 miles (170 km) southwest of Licata , Sicily .

Lampedusa’s greatest length is about 7 miles (11 km); its greatest width about 2 miles (3 km). It rises to 436 feet (133 metres) above sea level. The village of Lampedusa, Lampedusa Island, Italy. Andre86 The Lopadusa of the Greek geographer Strabo and the Lipadosa of the poet Ludovico Ariosto ’s “ Orlando furioso, ” the island has remains of prehistoric hut foundations, Punic tombs, and Roman buildings. In 1436 it was given by Alfonso of Aragon to Don Giovanni de Caro, baron of Montechiaro. A thousand slaves were taken from its population in 1553 by the Turks. In 1667 its then owner, Ferdinand Tommasi, received the title of prince from Charles II of Spain. In 1737 the English earl of Sandwich visited the island and found only one inhabitant. Some French settlers established themselves there in 1760, and in 1843 Ferdinand II of Naples founded a colony. After the Allied victory in North Africa in World War II , British and U.S.

planes bombed Lampedusa. It surrendered on June 12, 1943, and Linosa and Lampione submitted on June 13. Lampedusa’s soil is calcareous; it was covered with scrub until comparatively recent times, but this has been cut, and the rock is now bare. The poor soil and lack of irrigation have limited the cultivation of figs and olives . The valleys, however, are fertile, and grapes and wheat are grown. Fishing has traditionally played an important part in the island’s economy, and sardines and anchovies are packed for export. Coral and sponges are also collected. The expansion of tourism on the island sparked growth in its service-based economy. The village of Lampedusa, on the southern part of the island, has a harbour dredged to a depth of 13 feet (4 metres). Linosa, about 30 miles (48 km) north-northeast, has an area of 2 square miles (5 square km) and is entirely volcanic. It has landing places on the south and west and is more fertile than Lampedusa, but it suffers water shortages from lack of springs.

Lampedusa’s proximity to North Africa made it a gateway to Europe in the early 21st century, and a detention centre on the island was often filled with prospective migrants who had arrived by boat. Tens of thousands of people passed through the island in the wake of the Arab Spring , and Pope Francis visited Lampedusa in July 2013 to draw attention to those who had lost their lives attempting the crossing from the African coast. Learn More in these related articles: Review of Lampedusa Island Beach Italy - World's Best Beaches The Three Best Beaches by Destination Lampedusa Island Beach Italy by Dave Jackson The group of the Islands Pelagie is found around on the African continental base to 80 miles by Pantelleria, to 80 miles around from Malta and 80 miles away from the coasts Tunisine, in front of Monastir and Mahedia. The climate type African in summer is warm dampness. Politically and administratively it is a part of Italy, but geologically it belongs to Africa since the sea between the two is no deeper than 120 meters. The island’s 20 sq.km.

The populated area is represented by a little village dominated by the typically African-styled “dammusi”. These houses are based on basic and very old cube-shapes brightened up with lively lime-colours that create the image of a seaside-nativity scene. Fauna and Flora , as well as the climate is similar to what can be found in North Africa . Linosa, the northernmost island, is of volcanic origin, whereas the other two islands rest on the continental shelf of Africa. The group occupies about 30 sq km (10 sq mi). There are more than 30,000 former child soldiers in the West African nation of Liberia alone, many of whom are eager to help rebuild their country. Now a unique photography program is helping some of them see hope and beauty again, and regain the respect of their communities as peacemakers. Lampedusa is the southernmost summer resort island of Italy, the border between Europe and Africa. In recent years there has been a massive and constant influx of immigrants who try to illegally enter the country by setting off in small boats from the coast of North Africa.

The local news paper from Rijeka picked up on that and there was a text (written by Ladislav Tomcic) in which the owned of AA is accused of ‘transporting Africans into suffering and death’. Almost all the inlets and the beaches are about 1 Km away from the town centre. The town of Lipari is dominated by a cliff-top citadel, built in the 1500s, and buffered by two beaches, the Marina Lunga on which the harbour is sited, and the Marina Corta. Lipari, with its hotels, restaurants and bars, makes a good base for exploring the other islands of the archipelago, including Salina, Filicudi, Stromboli, Panarea and Vulcano, all of which offer beautiful scenery, volcanoes, castles, thermal resorts, watersports, fishing and some lovely volcanic-black beaches. The beach, with its finest sand, gently slopes to transparent waters that splendidly turn to turquoise and emerald green. Here the Caretta-Caretta turtle lays her eggs during the breeding season, an event today threatened by the big influx of tourists staying late at night when she usually comes ashore for nesting.

It has full of rocks rivers that finish with one short sabbiosa beach. E’ nearly completely banchinata and is allots n.6 floating wharves to you completely occupied from small units from diporto and peach local. If you love to wake up at sunrise for a long walk on the beach, there is no place in Lampedusa like l?isola dei Conigli. It has white sandy beaches, turquoise water and dark red cliffs. In late August early September, thousands of hatchlings make for the beautiful warm sea of the Mediterranean. This is an absolutely beautiful experience and if you are in Lampedusa during this time of year, do not miss out on this. The Aegadian Islands ( Italian: Isole Egadi), are a group of small mountainous islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the northwest coast of Sicily, Italy, near the city of Trapani, with a total area of 22,97 mi (37,45 km).

Favignana (Aegusa), the largest, lies 10 miles south west of Trapani; Levanzo (Phorbantia) 8 miles west; while Marettimo , the ancient Iera Nesos , 15 miles west of Trapani, is now reckoned as a part of the group. The beach and the neighbouring island are part of a nature reserve : here the famous singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno spent his vacations, and also died in 1994. Next to Parise Cape is a small beach accessible only by sea, through a low grotto . Related Beach Reviews: Lampedusa disaster: Europe's migrant dilemma - BBC News BBC News Lampedusa disaster: Europe's migrant dilemma By Laurence Peter BBC News 4 October 2013 Close share panel Image caption Lampedusa: Migrants risk their lives to reach Italy and start a new life The migrant boat disaster off Lampedusa has highlighted Europe's struggle to deal with boatloads of migrants - many with legitimate asylum claims - heading across the Mediterranean from North Africa.

For years the tiny Italian island - closer to North Africa than Italy itself - has been the destination for many African migrants fleeing poverty, conflict or persecution. Between 1 January and 30 September this year, 30,100 migrants reached Italy on boats from North Africa, the UN's refugee agency UNHCR says. The biggest groups were from Syria (7,500 in total), Eritrea (7,500) and Somalia (3,000). Both Syria and Somalia have been ripped apart by war, while in Eritrea thousands are either imprisoned on political grounds or face conscription into the army. Under international law refugees fleeing persecution have a right to asylum, but when hundreds of migrants come ashore the authorities have the difficult task of identifying the genuine asylum seekers. Often they lack papers to prove their nationality or place of origin. Lampedusa is overburdened with migrants - the island's normal population is just 6,000 and its migrant reception centre has a capacity of just 250. The capacity was reduced after a fire there in 2011.

Reception centres in Sicily and mainland Italy are better equipped, but "there is always a need to enlarge the centres because the system is under a lot of pressure now", Federico Fossi of the UNHCR in Rome told the BBC. He said the Lampedusa centre provides basic help for migrants - food, clothes and medical attention, including psychological care. Many have survived ordeals at sea, or at the hands of ruthless people-traffickers, and are traumatised by that and the abuses they have fled in Africa or the Middle East. Libya hotspot The UNHCR has urged Italy to transfer Lampedusa migrants from the centre there to others in Italy after 48 hours maximum. It has welcomed an Italian plan to expand those centres to a capacity of 16,000, from the current 3,000.

Why people flee Eritrea and Somalia Eritrea: UN says 3,000 people try to flee each month Human rights groups say the country is becoming a giant jail, with some 10,000 political prisoners Young people conscripted to army - sometimes until age of 40 Somalia: Much of the country controlled by al-Shabab Islamist militants Country ravaged by two decades of war "Italy needs more money from the EU - this year we are witnessing a large number of arrivals, but every year in the summer we have a peak and we have to be ready for that," Mr Fossi said. The migrant influx is a headache for struggling Italy at a time of budget cuts aimed at reducing the country's colossal debt burden. The EU's border agency Frontex says "the institutional capacity to tackle irregular migration in North Africa remains limited" and "Libya is of the biggest concern in this respect" because Libya remains plagued by violence, kidnappings and fragmented institutions. In its report on illegal migration to the EU in 2012 Frontex said Libya was the main departure point for migrants heading across the Mediterranean to Italy.

But in 2011 there was a surge in migrant boats arriving from Tunisia, because of the Arab Spring uprising which toppled the country's president. More than 64,000 Tunisians came ashore in Italy and Malta that year. The exodus from there dropped sharply after September 2012, when Tunisia agreed to take back up to 100 Tunisians per week from Italy. Now Frontex and the UNHCR are worried about a marked increase in the numbers of Syrians arriving in overcrowded boats after days at sea in the Mediterranean. Image caption In 2011 Italy housed thousands of Tunisian migrants in tents near Taranto Michal Parzyszek, a spokesperson for Frontex, said 2012 saw the biggest number of asylum claims in the EU since 2005 - a total of 272,208. Frontex is helping Italy to intercept migrant boats, but the two EU operations in the southern Mediterranean have limited resources - a total of four ships, two helicopters and two planes, Mr Parzyszek said.

The Tunisia emergency was followed by the Libya emergency, when thousands of African migrants fled the war which eventually crushed Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime. According to Mr Fossi, the 2011-2012 wave of migrants from Libya consisted mostly of Africans who had been working there and were economic migrants, rather than people fleeing persecution. The Libya exodus was a new phenomenon - the migrant boats from Libya had dwindled to a trickle under a deal between Gaddafi and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Italy had helped Gaddafi to prevent the boats leaving Libya's shores. Many migrants who reached Italy from Libya have since moved on to other EU countries. In May this year German officials accused Italy of giving African migrants up to 500 euros (£420; $680) each as well as Schengen zone visas, enabling them to leave Italy and head north. Schengen visas allow holders to travel to most EU countries without having their passports or other documents checked at the border. Italy gave the migrants some money to help them integrate after the Libya emergency was declared over at the end of 2012, Mr Fossi told the BBC.

The migrants had to leave the reception centres, but it was not official policy to encourage them to leave Italy, Mr Fossi said. Heading north For many migrants the goal is to travel north in the EU, for example to Scandinavia, the Netherlands or UK, where they hope to find jobs and less hostility from anti-immigration groups. Media captionOne Nigerian refugee talks about being homeless in Berlin Greece, Italy and Malta have complained that the EU's current asylum system puts an unfair burden on them. Under the EU's Dublin II Regulation asylum requests have to be handled by the country where the asylum seeker first arrived in the EU. The recognition rates differ seriously: for Sudanese asylum seekers the rate is 2% in Spain, whereas it is 68% in Italy Cecilia Malmstroem, EU home affairs commissioner Some EU countries, including Finland and Germany, have stopped sending asylum seekers back to Greece because the country's reception centres are overcrowded and Greek officials have said they cannot cope with the numbers. Greece's land border with Turkey was the main entry point for illegal migrants entering the EU, but the numbers dropped sharply there after Frontex sent police to help Greek border guards in 2010.

However many migrants, including Syrians, are still arriving on Greek islands by boat. The Dublin II Regulation is under review, along with the rest of the EU's asylum policy, as the migration issue has become divisive in Europe and worries many voters. The EU's Home Affairs Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstroem, has said "there is a strong need for a common European asylum policy", as 90% of asylum seekers are taken in by just 10 EU countries. "That means that 17 countries could do much more... "Equally, member states differ very much in the way they assess asylum requests. In fact, the situation is extremely arbitrary. The recognition rates differ seriously: for Sudanese asylum seekers the rate is 2% in Spain, whereas it is 68% in Italy. "Such disparities are not acceptable in an EU where we have signed the same international conventions and unite around the same values," she said.

Italy’s Door to Europe: Illegal Migrants in Lampedusa, Sicily | The Yale Globalist | An Undergraduate Magazine of International Affairs Italy’s Door to Europe: Illegal Migrants in Lampedusa, Sicily September 9, 2014 • Boundaries , Glimpses , Print , Theme • Views: 773 By Nora Moraga-Lewy Hundreds of dilapidated wooden boats lie beached on the outskirts of Lampedusa’s Porto Nuovo and Porto Veccio, the island’s two main ports. From their peeling Arabic labels, the crafts can be traced back to departure ports in Libya, Algeria, and Morocco. Relics of the mid-twentieth century, these recovered vessels likely each have transported hundreds of illegal migrants on a desperate journey across the Mediterranean to the European border, often in the hope of escaping civil and political strife or a stifling lack of economic opportunity. Each year, thousands of illegal migrants from the Middle East, sub-Saharan and Northern Africa risk their lives attempting to reach this seemingly insignificant, twenty-square-kilometer jagged rock, an island home to only 4,500 people.

Since the province of Agrigento, Sicily, to which the island belongs, is one of the few municipalities in all of Europe equipped with a processing center that accepts undocumented immigrants, Lampedusa is a highly desirable destination for illegal migrants and asylum-seekers. The Guardia Costiera, or Italian Coast Guard, bears the responsibility for collecting the migrant-filled boats once they have crossed into European waters and transporting their passengers to the island’s center. There, the migrants are provided with shelter and a daily stipend until they receive papers to continue the process of temporary naturalization or, more rarely, are sent back to their country of origin. Guardia Costiera search and rescue patrol boats docked in Lampedusa. (Moraga Lewy/TYG) Packed far past capacity, however, most of these fragile wooden boats can rarely withstand the shifty Southern Mediterranean’s weather long enough to reach the calm, crystalline waters surrounding Lampedusa. Some capsize entirely, while others barely hold up against the sea’s battering swells. Freak accidents, like fires, sometimes occur on board. The distressed passengers that set out for Lampedusa share an unspoken acknowledgement of the risks associated with this perilous journey.

Lacking the ability to radio for help, they understand that their journey, though often of less than 100 kilometers, may be fatal. Occasionally near entire boatloads of migrants will perish before European officials can even detect them. From October to December of 2013, over four hundred migrants crossing from North Africa drowned in the waters surrounding Lampedusa. Voyage-related risks are only one concern. Like those crossing the Mexico-United States border, many African and Middle Eastern migrants are trafficked by organized crime rings, which exploit the migrants’ desperation for their own ends. Some migrants are cheated; others may be abused or assaulted along the way if they cannot deliver their payments in full. Daniela Freggi, the director of the Lampedusa Turtle Group, a small NGO dedicated to marine conservation, first encountered the migration phenomenon under what she called “bizarre circumstances.” In the winter of 2011, the Guardia Costiera rescued over 800 migrants, primarily from East Africa. Since her sea turtle rescue center shares a building with the Guardia Costiera, the facility was transformed into a shelter after the processing center overflowed.

Arriving on site, Freggi discovered that much of her operating equipment and several of her holding tanks were lost or damaged in the “chaos and bustle”. Funded only by small donations, the Lampedusa Turtle Group could not work at full capacity for the entire following year. Yet, Freggi harbors no negative feelings toward the individuals that passed through the makeshift shelter. An entire room of the Lampedusa Turtle Group’s conservation center now stands as a testament to the migrants, containing wedding pictures, baby dolls, and beaded necklaces. A poster reads in Italian: “Pain has no borders – the pain of the migrant, of the turtle, of our volunteers and the fishermen – is united by determination and makes a single world community.” Photos of East African migrants rescued in 2011 and a poster with the words “pain has no borders” line the walls of the Lampedusa Turtle Group’s conservation center. (Moraga Lewy/TYG) The local government erected its own memorial several years ago. Known as the “Door of Europe,” it commemorates those who lost their lives in crossing the maritime border to European waters and the risks that they took in the hope of a better life.

Yet according to Aldo Croc-Cante of the Guardia Costiera, though most locals know of it, the site seems more visited by tourists. While the residents of Lampedusa understand the migrants aren’t associated with crime, they live their days detached from the situation. Interactions are rare and often solely business-oriented. Visiting Lampedusa in the fall of 2013, Pope Francis called for action and solidarity, bringing greater attention to the migrants’ situation. His words, though, seemed more likely to be directed toward Europe as a whole; for there seems to be little more that Lampedusa’s residents can do in relation to this issue. The “Door of Europe,” a local monument dedicated to those who lost their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. (Moraga Lewy/TYG) Upon receiving temporary naturalization papers or familial status, some migrants remain in Lampedusa to find employment. Others continue on to continental Europe for the same reason. A great number of the migrants are never heard from again. Whether or not these migrants were able to obtain the lives they hoped for in crossing to Europe remains a mystery. Abdul* came from Eritrea by boat five years ago.

Now, he owns a rug stand at a small flea market on the island. Although glad that his life turned out “stable,” it is not as great as he had hoped. When he hears about shipwrecks or drownings, he feels “blessed that [he] wasn’t one of the dead ones” and wishes not to reflect on the others’ luck. “The risks of coming to Europe,”he says,“are higher than you might think.” Nora Moraga-Lewy ’16 is in Branford College. She can be reached at nora.moragalewy@yale.edu. (*name changed to respect his privacy) Migrants From African Unrest Land In Italy : NPR Tunisian immigrants stand in front of a detention center on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Feb. 14. Roberto Salomone /AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Roberto Salomone /AFP/Getty Images Tunisian immigrants stand in front of a detention center on the Italian island of Lampedusa on Feb. 14.

Roberto Salomone /AFP/Getty Images The uprisings in North African countries are creating newly freed societies, but they are also triggering an exodus of people hoping to find greater stability and employment in Europe. In just a few days, 5,000 Tunisians have landed on Lampedusa, a small Italian island in the Mediterranean that normally has a population of just 6,000. The onslaught is challenging Italy and the rest of Europe to cope with this new migratory wave. Lampedusa is a tiny, flat island dotted with prickly pear cactus and sandy beaches. It's closer to Africa than to the Italian mainland, and over the last decade it has become accustomed to receiving waves of boat people seeking better lives in Europe. The latest to arrive are mostly young men. Chakar Awadi, 28, says all he's seeking is freedom and honest work, either here or in France or Belgium. His sea passage was very dangerous, he says, with 75 people packed into a rickety boat for three days at sea. When asked what he'll do if Italian authorities send him back home, he says he'll hang himself.

Article continues after sponsorship A banner that translates as "Thank you, Lampedusa," hangs from a fence after some of the new arrivals from Tunisian marched it through town on Feb. 16. Sylvia Poggioli/NPR hide caption toggle caption Sylvia Poggioli/NPR A banner that translates as "Thank you, Lampedusa," hangs from a fence after some of the new arrivals from Tunisian marched it through town on Feb. 16. Sylvia Poggioli/NPR Avoiding Human Traffickers These migrants are determined and well-organized. Many of them pooled their resources and bought their own vessel rather than pay human traffickers for the journey. Many have already been flown to other reception centers in Sicily, but nearly 2,000 are still on Lampedusa — and local authorities allow them to move freely around the island. They have cell phones and are in constant contact with their homeland. They seem to have money — at least enough for a few days — and can been seen shopping in supermarkets and sipping coffee at local cafes. At night, many are packed into the Lampedusa holding center.

"We Tunisians have no confidence in the new government," says Emin, a 20-year-old with a bushy beard who only gives his first name. "They are people who belong to the regime of the former president Ben Ali. They talk democracy but it's just blah, blah, blah." So far, the population of Lampedusa has welcomed the latest influx of migrants. The island is only 60 miles off the Tunisian coast and has a long tradition of commerce and contacts with the North African country. On Tuesday, there was a friendly soccer match between local youths and some of the new arrivals — many of whom marched through town with a banner with words "Grazie Lampedusa" — Thank you, Lampedusa. The island's mayor, Bernardino De Rubeis, stresses that the situation is calm but fragile. He even follows follows weather forecasts closely. "Potentially there is an entire nation that wants to flee Tunisian territory and come to Lampedusa," De Rubeis says. "I worry that as soon as the weather clears and the seas are calm, we will be overwhelmed by an even bigger onslaught." Some Italian government officials estimate that the Tunisian influx could reach 70,000.

There is concern the exodus could spread even farther. Unrest has broken out in Libya — and nearly 100 Egyptians landed on Sicilian shores in the last two days. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced an agreement with Tunisia under which Italy will provide its troops with sophisticated radar equipment and fast boats to intercept migrant vessels. Italy has also urged a broader Europe-wide response to the crisis on its borders. But both France and Germany have made clear they don't want to take in any of the new migrants. "Europe also has to take responsibility for change: It means also coping with these situations and not just raising tensions of possible invasions of North Africans," says Laura Boldrini, a spokesperson for UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency. But as the political map of Africa changes fast — creating newly free societies — Europe faces a bind. It has welcomed the end of dictatorships, but it's also trying to raise the drawbridge against a widening wave of migrants.

Question: The island of Lampedusa belongs to which European country?
Answer: Italy