The first meeting of the Centres of the Order and of
the Sisters Hospitallers participating in the PUENTE project - a partnership
financed by the European Union and comprising institutes helping Ukrainian
refugees in Europe - is being held in Madrid from 25 to 27 November at the Juan
Ciudad Foundation. Devised and promoted by the Brussels Hospitality Europe
office and benefiting from an EU grant of 250. 000 euro, the PUENTE (Spanish
for ‘bridge’) project is intended to be a ‘Hospitality Bridge’ from Spain to
Ukraine, networking numerous Order and Sisters' care services in different
European countries: Spain (Juan Ciudad Foundation, SJG Ciempozuelos Centre and
Benito Menni HSC Valladolid), Portugal (SJD Institute), Italy (FBF Roman
Province), Austria (St John of God Hospital in Linz), Belgium (Hospitality
Europe office) and Poland (Bonifraterska Fundacja Dobroczynna).
During
the Madrid meeting, the delegates from the participating centres have had the
opportunity to get to know each other personally and begin to implement the
activities set out in the work plan of the European project, which will last
two years. The general objective is to draw up guidelines and operational
programmes to be disseminated within Europe, and to share the numerous
experiences of assisting and integrating Ukrainian refugees at a psychological,
social, health care, educational and professional levels. The Order and the
Sisters Hospitallers, in addition to the emergency reception of Ukrainian
refugees after the outbreak of the conflict in 2022, have implemented a series
of schemes to support them, ranging from health care to housing support, from
teaching the national language to vocational training and integration. Today
there are numerous cases of Ukrainian citizens working as co-workers in
hospitaler centres who, in turn, are practising how ‘hospitality’ towards both
their compatriots and the patients they are caring for on a daily basis.
Making
it In early 2025, the PUENTE project website and its social pages will be
activated, offering the possibility of following the latest progress with the
project making contact with the delegates of the partner centres.
