It is good to be able to end the week on a positive note and to be able to say , "Well done, Italy."
I'm sure that many of you, like me, were in tears when you saw the arrival of Meriam Ibrahim and her family in Rome yesterday. What a moment that must have been for Meriam, after having been imprisoned, forced to give birth in chains and threatened not once, but twice with execution.
Of course there has been an international campaign to free her and many countries have played their part but Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli was instrumental in securing permission for Meriam to leave Sudan this time. He accompanied the family on their flight to Rome on an Italian government plane and it gladdened the heart to see him carrying 18-month-old Martin down the steps as Meriam carried baby Maya. Prime Minister Renzi made time to be there, as did his wife and Italy's Foreign Minister, Federica Mogherini. An airport policeman gave Meriam's husband a reassuring pat on the shoulder and other officials played with Martin. Then, as the world has seen, the family were taken to meet Pope Francis.
This is the Italy we all love - not the Italy that talks about harsher and harsher immigration laws, that taxes the entrepreneurs it so desperately needs out of existence or the Italy of the 7,850 amendments. Yesterday we saw the kind, compassionate, humane country that can move mountains when it wants to.
To Italy I would like to suggest that we see more of the same and to Meriam and her family I wish a safe onward journey to the United States and a happy life, free of chains at last.
Corriere della Sera - l'arrivo di Meriam a Roma
