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Christmas events in JRS offices
across Europe
 January
16 - The
Christmas period was a busy for JRS offices across Europe,
with concerts, conferences and prayer from Sweden to Slovenia.
Below are just some of the events that took place
In Brussels on New Year's
Eve, as part of the annual European meeting of the Taizé
Community, JRS-Belgium participated in a conference concerning
migration and undocumented persons. The conference gave JRS
Belgium the opportunity to speak about their work in detention
centres and share experiences with smaller groups. The
conference was attended by 200 young people and was hosted in
the Béguinage church in Brussels.
In
Dublin, the JRS Ireland Christmas Toy Appeal experienced
great success, with toys distributed to 126 children over the
Christmas period, a Christmas Party in the Clondalkin Towers
accommodation centre, and even a visit from a very special
Santa.
To mark Christmas in the 'Asylum House' outside of Ljubljana,
JRS Slovenia prepared a 'Santa Claus celebration', with an
exchanging of gifts and sing-songs in different languages.
A week
later, to mark UN Human Rights Day, the Minister for Home
Affairs, Ms Katarina Kresal, visited the 'Asylum House'. It was
her first visit to the house as Minister and she wished to meet
those NGOs working at the 'Asylum House'. NGOs had a 15 minute
high level meeting with her, where they explained their roles in
the house, their various concerns and what can be changed for
the asylum seekers there.
JRS Slovenia, with members of the Pentecostal Church in
Ljubljana, also organised a Christmas concert in the detention
centre in Postojna. It was a great success for all, including
songs from detainees and peace of mind that detainees would be
calmer during the feast days.
Two events marked the holiday period for JRS Sweden; a Christmas
mass was celebrated by Fr Christoph Hermann SJ in Märsta
detention centre, with participants from Africa and Latin
America; and on December 28, JRS Sweden, together with a Caritas
group, organised a Christmas celebration in the Märsta detention
centre. Each detainee was given a Christmas present during the
celebration.
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