In a world increasingly strained by exclusionary discourses, there are still those who choose to reach out. They are professionals, volunteers and civil servants who work, often in silence, for the dignity of migrants. They do so from reception centres, social organisations or public services, with the firm conviction that no one is superfluous.
Those who flee their countries do not do so on a whim. They flee from fear, poverty, war or hunger. They arrive with the clothes on their backs, but with one hope intact: to offer a better future to their parents or children. They do not always receive a fair welcome. But they do, fortunately, meet people who help them rebuild their lives with respect.
Beyond borders and differences, there is one truth that is hard to ignore: we are one human family. Skin colours, languages and beliefs do not matter. What matters is the willingness to live together and to recognise each other. That is the basis of any truly strong society.
Many migrants today work on essential tasks that others refuse to do. They contribute, they contribute, they care. Without their efforts, it would be impossible to sustain many structures we take for granted. They benefit us as a society, even if they are sometimes denied even the most basic recognition.
In the face of intolerance and rejection, love and compassion remain an act of resistance. So is the joy of knowing that we are a community. There is nothing more revolutionary than seeing in the face of the other an equal, someone who deserves to live with dignity.
The challenge is to continue building, every day, a fairer world. One in which everyone, without distinction, can live together, work and dream. Because no one is surplus to requirements.
[*] Inspired by a Facebook post by Pepe Hernández López