On June 18, from Florence, the Manifesto “The Wave of Change for the Women of the Mediterranean” was made public. The event took place in the Palazzo Vecchio, and the first signatory was Dr. Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence.
For this reason, and thanks to the invitation from OIKOS Mediterraneo, I participated in the round table with my testimony, due to the commitment we have in Istanbul with the project “Citadel of Flowers” in support of women who have suffered violence, for the reception of migrants, and immigrant women in prison.
The Manifesto seeks to promote, value, and connect all the stories of women who are contributing to change, generating actions of care and peace. Conceived as an open, dynamic, and generative tool, the Manifesto aims to foster change through the creation of a Mediterranean network. With a united and concrete perspective, it is inspired by the principles of the Declaration of Human Rights and Integral Ecology, promoting—with responsibility toward future generations—collective action for the construction of the common good and the safeguarding of each person’s rights.
Women in the Mediterranean face numerous challenges that vary from country to country: discrimination, gender-based violence, economic and social limitations, difficulties in accessing education and health care. More specifically, migrant women and women in countries in conflict face situations of extreme vulnerability; they are often victims of trafficking, sexual violence, and exploitation during their journey. This vulnerability challenges us and calls us all to care. And we, as Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, feel called every day to walk alongside so many men and women who suffer all kinds of discrimination.
Alongside vulnerability, the Manifesto seeks to recognize the strength and determination of so many women who weave relationships, intertwine hope, cultivate trust, and thus contribute to change. Through their work—made of curiosity, ingenuity, care, courage, and openness—they generate a new vision of the future, opening bridges, possibilities for dialogue, and new and diverse perspectives. We want to promote their stories, connect them, and let them become leaven for change in the Mediterranean basin, so that life may flourish again.
Our mission in Istanbul seeks to promote values such as justice, dignity, and solidarity, which translate into concrete commitments to gender equality, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue, responsible innovation, the sharing of knowledge, peace, and security, with the goal of building a new Mediterranean and digital humanism.
I thank OIKOS Mediterraneo for this valuable experience and for the visibility given to our project, which is a reflection of so many other projects of our Congregation, because today, we, religious women committed in the Church, wish to share, promote, and uphold the dignity of all the sons and daughters of God. At this event, I was able to bring and speak about many experiences and encounters I have had during these ten years in Istanbul; I gave voice to many wounded women and recalled the loneliness of the women I meet in prison… and I was able to show the joy and commitment as FMSC in this delicate and beautiful service we carry out as a fraternity in this wonderful country. I thank the Lord for this beautiful gift, and we thank the benefactors who make this work-service possible.
Sr. Miriam Oyarzo, fmsc
