The first meeting of the Centres of the Order and of the Sisters Hospitallers participating in the PUENTE project - a partnership financed by the European Union and comprising institutes helping Ukrainian refugees in Europe - is being held in Madrid from 25 to 27 November at the Juan Ciudad Foundation. Devised and promoted by the Brussels Hospitality Europe office and benefiting from an EU grant of 250. 000 euro, the PUENTE (Spanish for ‘bridge’) project is intended to be a ‘Hospitality Bridge’ from Spain to Ukraine, networking numerous Order and Sisters' care services in different European countries: Spain (Juan Ciudad Foundation, SJG Ciempozuelos Centre and Benito Menni HSC Valladolid), Portugal (SJD Institute), Italy (FBF Roman Province), Austria (St John of God Hospital in Linz), Belgium (Hospitality Europe office) and Poland (Bonifraterska Fundacja Dobroczynna).

During the Madrid meeting, the delegates from the participating centres have had the opportunity to get to know each other personally and begin to implement the activities set out in the work plan of the European project, which will last two years. The general objective is to draw up guidelines and operational programmes to be disseminated within Europe, and to share the numerous experiences of assisting and integrating Ukrainian refugees at a psychological, social, health care, educational and professional levels. The Order and the Sisters Hospitallers, in addition to the emergency reception of Ukrainian refugees after the outbreak of the conflict in 2022, have implemented a series of schemes to support them, ranging from health care to housing support, from teaching the national language to vocational training and integration. Today there are numerous cases of Ukrainian citizens working as co-workers in hospitaler centres who, in turn, are practising how ‘hospitality’ towards both their compatriots and the patients they are caring for on a daily basis.

Making it In early 2025, the PUENTE project website and its social pages will be activated, offering the possibility of following the latest progress with the project making contact with the delegates of the partner centres.