03/15/2022
Villanova University's Strategic Initiative Group on Migration and Refugee Protection invites you to join us to learn about Afghan refugees and what Villanova is doing to help.
Wednesday, March 23 at 7pm ET on Zoom, pre-registration required, https://villanova.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkduCprjMjHdVEBVDFoNhY9Cvj_CCtTZls
The U.S. airlift of 80,000 Afghans late last year was the largest air evacuation in U.S. history and set off a global and frenzied last-minute effort to rescue as many people as possible. Approximately 60,000 Afghans were transferred to military bases in the U.S. and as of March 1, all have been resettled in American communities. But their struggles continue. Many are living in hotels in their new cities while waiting for permanent housing and amidst this insecurity, they are relying on community volunteers to help them sign up for ESL classes, enroll children in school, and look for jobs, In addition, they are desperately seeking ways to reunify with their families left in Afghanistan. All the while, the clock is ticking on their humanitarian parole status and they all need to start the process of applying for some form of permanent residency in the next 6-18 months.
This is where Villanova students and graduates are responding by putting their education into practice.
Please join us to hear from a panel of graduates from Villanova's ground-breaking VIISTA program (Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates, immigrantadvocate.villanova.edu) who will talk about the contributions they are making to this resettlement -- creating new roles in immigrant advocacy and expanding capacity in the field of representation to meet this momentous challenge.
You will also hear about Villanova's collaboration with two local Augustinian parishes (St Thomas of Villanova and Our Mother of Good Counsel) and the Augustinian Province to help Catholic Social Services resettle Afghan refugees in our area (see https://welcomethenewcomer.org/). Under the direction of Father Joe Mostardi, OSA, and with the support of SIG members Joe Betz and Dan Griffin, our community has already received one family (husband, wife and two children, ages 1 and 2); they are living in Rosemont. Now, we are called to accompany them as they build new beginnings in the community. We are looking for volunteers, contributions and other support.
Robyn Lieberman, Program Manager of Strategic Initiative Group on Migration and Refugee Protection will moderate the webinar.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://villanova.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkduCprjMjHdVEBVDFoNhY9Cvj_CCtTZls
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Afghanistan's Refugees: How Villanova is Helping. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We are so thrilled to offer this event as our first formal event sponsored by the new Strategic Initiative Group on Migration and Refugee Protection. More to come . . .
Villanova University's Strategic Initiative Group on Migration and Refugee Protection invites you to join us to learn about Afghan refugees and what Villanova is doing and what YOU can do to help. The U.S. airlift of 80,000 Afghans late last year was the largest air evacuation in U.S. history and se...
