The NGO ‘Health and Development’ has established a new regional office for Sicily in Acireale, a city where the Camillians are present with three exemplary activities: the kitchen for the poor; the Tent of St. Camillus for people with HIV/AIDS; and the home for diversely abled people. This new presence opens the Camillian witness of this land to the reality of the missions of the Camillian Order which are present in all the continents of the world. The missions are a fascinating reality because of the universal dimension of Christian charity. Specifically during these times of the immigration of peoples who are escaping from poverty, from war and from persecution, and specifically in Sicily which is undergoing an unceasing flow of humanity in search of hope, we have added this presence of the universality of the Church and the Camillians.

The President of ‘Health and Development’ presented the initiative to television and the press, an initiative which seeks to be a point for information about the activities involved, for sensitising people to international cooperation, and for educating people in international matters. Everyone can cooperate with us to implement social and health-care works, and ones promoting human development, for countries in the South of the world. At this launch which took place in a hall of the town council buildings of Acireale there were present a group of Camillians with their Superior, the mayor with a committee chairman, and the vicar of the diocese who applauded the initiative and referred to the good that the Camillians do in the city, emphasised the educational aspect of the new initiative, and asked for an involvement of the local population at the side of the Camillians.