Friday, February 25 Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Agostino Vallini, visited the "field" of the Roma in Via di Salone, and he met with representatives of other fields in the city. The visit and meeting were organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, which attended for decades and knows the families of via di Salonein Rome and the other "Roman" Roma and Sinti.

Cardinal Vallini, accompanied by the director of Caritas Mgr Enrico Feroci, was welcomed by the President of the Community, Marco Impagliazzo, who introduced to him the Roma representatives who had come from more than fifteen areas of the city and community volunteers who regularly attend the field in Via di Salone, and accompanied him on the visit.

Inside the field Cardinal took a little trip into the world of the Roma, visiting containers and trailers of various families that compose the mosaic population of nearly 1000 residents of Via di Salone: Roma from Serbia, Bosnia, Romania and Montenegro. Many among them, in Italy for decades, are the third generation born in Italy, and Cardinal Vallini heard the stories and wishes that everyone expressed. He met with the elders of the camp, Murat and Haijria, over eighty, young couples, the Roma moved from Casilino 900, Romanian Romas arrived more recently, children and with everyone he spoke with familiarity.

After visiting the camp, the cardinal stopped for over an hour meeting with representatives arrived from other roman fields. Marco Impagliazzo, introducing the meeting, stressed the importance of the visit of the Cardinal Vicar to the Roma, expressing joy and gratitude of the Community of Sant'Egidio and Roma and renewing all the closeness and commitment of the Community.

Cardinal Vallini explained how his presence shows the attention and affection of the Church for the Roma, underlining how a difficult time for the whole society requires an effort of solidarity and common commitment. It 'was then the moment of the Roma, who with passion and participation explained and described their daily life and their expectations, thanking the Cardinal and the Community for the exceptional meeting. Home, work, family, future, children, health, were the themes common to many speeches of the Roma who have sought help, but also offered willingness to cooperate in improving the convivence in the city. At the end of the meeting Cardinal said he will bring in his heart everything he has seen and heard and ensuring that the Church will continue to work alongside the Roma.

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