FS Italiane and Save the Children working together for migrant children

We are running a Christmas collection from 5th December to 8th January to raise funds for care and activity centres for unaccompanied migrant children arriving in Italy

136 volunteers from the FS Italiane Group and about 150 from Save the Children will be involved

The #aBracciaAperte Christmas collection campaign will begin on 5th December, involving our Group and Save the Children.

The initiative was presented on 17 November 2016 at the FS Italiane headquarters in Rome during the meeting with volunteers who will promote the Save the Children project by collecting money on trains until 7th January to support the “Civico Zero” day care centres (found in Rome, Milan and Turin) for unaccompanied migrant children arriving in Italy, who are often subject to all kinds of abuse.

Gioia Ghezzi, the President of the Group, and Mauro Ghilardi, the Director of Human Resources and Organisation, attended the meeting with volunteers from the collection campaign on behalf of FS Italiane. 

The event was also attended by the President of the Italian Rail Network, Claudia Cattani, the President of Trenitalia, Tiziano Onesti, the Head of Human Resources and Organisation at Italferr, Delia Simoni, and the President of Save the Children Italia, Claudio Tesauro.

It makes me very proud that there are so many volunteers at Ferrovie dello Stato willing to dedicate their time and money to such important things”, said Gioia Ghezzi, President of FS Italiane. 

“Similarly, it makes me proud when I’m on the train and meet colleagues who, even on public holidays, are dedicating their free time to tap on the shoulder of one passenger after another to collect the odd Euro a time which, at the end of the day, amounts to very substantial sums and can make a difference”.

“Helping children in difficulty who have arrived from far-off countries also really goes hand in hand with our goal of making railway stations increasingly safe”, explained Mauro Ghilardi, Director of Human Resources at FS Italiane. 

“We know how many of these children find themselves in or around stations. With this solidarity campaign we can do something that fits in with our Industrial Plan and also helps the community where we work. In an increasingly multi-ethnic society, I hope that some of these children we are helping together with Save the Children can one day become our colleagues”.

Donations to the collection campaign can be made from 5th December to 8th January at: 

  • Frecciaclub
  • ticket offices and self-service machines
  • on board Trenitalia Frecce and regional trains