{"id":21846,"date":"2026-03-04T12:42:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ofmjpic.org\/?p=21846"},"modified":"2026-03-04T12:42:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:42:14","slug":"the-franciscan-network-for-migrants-in-iquique-chile-a-welcoming-hand-and-a-listening-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ofmjpic.org\/en\/the-franciscan-network-for-migrants-in-iquique-chile-a-welcoming-hand-and-a-listening-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"The Franciscan Network for Migrants in Iquique, Chile: “A welcoming hand and a listening silence”"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, the 31<\/span>st<\/span> January, 2022, news spread around the world: an anti-immigrant march in the city of Iquique, Chile, drew some 4,000 participants. Some of the protesters attacked a migrant camp in Chile, mostly inhabited by Venezuelans, destroying their tents, and burning their belongings. A similar incident occurred in late September 2021, amidst the migration crisis in northern Chile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"In response, the Bishop of the Diocese of Iquique, Bishop Isauro Covili, OFM, since his installation in mid-2022, has made constant appeals to stop all forms of violence, inviting everyone to be \u201cinstruments of peace\u201d and to embrace a culture of welcome toward the migrants in the area, especially in the Tarapac\u00e1 Region.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iquique is a city in the Tarapac\u00e1 Region (bordering Bolivia), in northern Chile, 1,800 kilometres from Santiago. It has an estimated population of 233,228 and has been one of the main arrival points for migrants in the north of the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Franciscan Network for Migrants in Tarapac\u00e1: Presence and Pastoral Accompaniment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Franciscan Network for Migrants (RFM) in Iquique has developed various pastoral and social activities since its inception in 2023, strengthening Franciscan migrant ministry in the area. The beginning of 2026 has been marked by numerous initiatives supporting migrant families.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA Space of Fraternal Joy\u201d: Support for Migrant Children in Alto Hospicio<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The first of these initiatives took place from the 9<\/span>th<\/span> \u2013 11<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0 January. The RFM, together with the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, held the “Space of Fraternal Joy” initiative for three days with the goal of <\/span>“creating a safe and fraternal space that promotes joy, play, learning, and integration for migrant children from Paso de la Mula during their vacation period<\/span><\/i>.” January and February are vacation months in Chile, coinciding with the Southern Cone summer. Paso de la Mula is one of the migrant settlements in Alto Hospicio, a municipality linked to Iquique.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the first day of the three-day event\u2014the 9<\/span>th<\/span> January\u2014the brothers and sisters addressed the topic “My Emotions” in a clear and engaging way, and on the second day, “My Cultural Identity.” Games, songs, painting, prayer, and theatre were the pedagogical tools used to entertain the children gathered at the Daughters of Charity’s premises.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t