Sister Rosita Milesi, who’s the International Laureate of the 2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. She calls the consideration “a recognition of all of the individuals who helped me, who participated in my journey — particularly the refugees that I had the chance to help and accompany and who’ve at all times taught me classes of hope and religion that fueled my very own journey.”
Marina Calderon/UNHCR
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Marina Calderon/UNHCR
When she was a pupil, Rosita Milesi needed to turn out to be a math instructor — she was at all times good on the topic, she remembers.
It didn’t end up that approach – for which refugees are eternally grateful. At age 19, she turned a Catholic nun. Now, at age 79, she is being acknowledged as one in all Brazil’s most influential refugee advocates.
This week, she was honored with the U.N. Refugee Company’s Nansen Refugee Award for 40 years of activism. The U.N. calls her a “formidable refugee champion.” Venezuelan refugee, Elizabeth Tanare, described her to the U.N. because the “piece of the puzzle that brings every little thing collectively.“
The award is a testomony to her life’s work. In 1999, Sister Rosita – who can also be a lawyer — based Brazil’s Migration and Human Proper’s Institute (IMDH), which she nonetheless oversees. In response to the U.N., during the last 40 years, she and her workforce have helped almost 800,000 refugees from 168 nations entry authorized companies, well being care, housing, and work alternatives in Brazil. And he or she says a part of the explanation for her success has to do along with her early love of math!
NPR spoke to Sister Rosita in Geneva, the place she accepted the award in a ceremony on October 14th, by way of Skype. The interview has been translated from Portuguese to English and has been edited for size and readability.
What does this award imply to you?
To me, the Nansen award comes with an excellent duty to mirror on who Nansen was and what meaning.
Fridtjof Nansen of Norway was a scientist, polar explorer, diplomat, Nobel peace prize laureate and first Excessive Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations.
These are huge footsteps to comply with in.
Is that this an honor? Sure. However on the identical time, this can be a recognition of all of the individuals who helped me, who participated in my journey — particularly the refugees that I had the chance to help and accompany and who’ve at all times taught me classes of hope and religion that fueled my very own journey.
What are some life classes you’ve discovered by your activism?
I’ve been residing this mission for a few years and have discovered quite a bit. Every particular person is exclusive. Each human being is exclusive. So you need to] take note of the particularities that every particular person expresses. Energetic listening is important. I can inform you that I’ve sought to study this, as a result of I’ve at all times been an individual with fast responses. And that’s not at all times one of the best ways. Listening is usually extra necessary than responding. We study probably the most after we hear with our coronary heart and with care to the story that every refugee has lived and resides after we meet them.
Our weblog writes quite a bit about world well being. How do you see well being – each bodily and psychological – as a difficulty in your activism?
In Brazil, now we have a common health-care system which everybody has entry to. It doesn’t matter if they’re Brazilian or from one other nation or if they’re documented or not – everybody has entry to the common health-care system. It is a nice profit. Nevertheless, on the identical time, there are nonetheless many limitations – particularly in psychological well being care. Most refugees undergo huge emotional or psychiatric penalties due to how tough it’s to navigate the trail in quest of a rustic that may welcome them. It’s essential that we strengthen [access to] each bodily well being and psychological well being companies so that folks can, not less than partially, overcome the trauma of compelled migration, battle, starvation and every little thing they went by to seek out refuge abroad.
Have you ever ever felt dismissed or not regarded with respect due to your age?
No, quite the opposite, I feel that my age offers me a bonus. I feel that the belief individuals have in me usually comes from realizing the years I’ve already lived. And I really feel nice pleasure when kids who don’t even know me come as much as me and name me “grandma.’ For me, my age is a constructive component that encourages me to proceed and to go on [my knowledge].
How do individuals react to your being a nun?
I’m already well-known as ‘Sister Rosita.’ However some cultures have no idea what the “sister” title actually means. Generally individuals ask me the place my husband is or what number of kids I’ve. However thank God I’ve at all times been capable of welcome all individuals equally impartial of faith, tradition, or sexual orientation. I at all times attempt to welcome them. And due to that I feel individuals really feel extra snug round me despite the fact that I’m a nun.
The world is clearly failing to take care of refugees – the U.N. repeatedly requires extra funding for such efforts. Should you had 3 needs to make issues higher, what would they be?
My first want can be for border management to not be about authorized or judicial management of the border however slightly to at all times embrace social work help to provide individuals in want the eye they deserve.
The second want can be for nations all over the world to turn out to be extra keen to welcome and combine refugees into their communities. And for these communities to have a good time their new members for enriching their surroundings and permitting them to develop interculturally.
The third want can be for clear and efficient refugee integration applications. What refugees want most is a chance for efficient integration, the place they’ll take every little thing that they’ve already discovered in life and thru their journeys and use it of their new communities. And I want for his or her items and skills to be acknowledged to allow them to really feel fulfilled and rebuild their very own lives within the nations they arrive to.
Do you may have any phrases of recommendation to younger refugee activists?
I need them to know that this a improbable path to non-public achievement.
What does this new technology of activists carry to the trigger?
Younger individuals are very full of life, very artistic. Once they get entangled, these of us who’re older than them simply need to have a good time their youthful dynamism and enthusiasm. However above all, [I want them to know] that their generosity and pursuit of humanitarian causes is a superb deed. The refugees will likely be in nice fingers with younger activists who’re utilizing their enthusiasm and pleasure towards these causes.
I heard that if you have been youthful you needed to turn out to be a math instructor. Does math play any position in your life at this time?
I used to be by no means good at historical past, however I used to be nice at math. I used to be by no means capable of turn out to be a math instructor however I feel this aspect comes out in me within the objectivity with which I conduct myself. In a approach, it is rather constructive — I discover it very straightforward to comply with administrative processes and I really feel assured working the establishments I presently run. And math can also be current within the objectivity and pace with which I make my choices. So despite the fact that I didn’t pursue instructing, these traits are nonetheless in me they usually assist me. However I additionally need to be very cautious to not be too goal or fast in my responses and to actually ensure I’m listening fastidiously earlier than saying one thing. It’s one thing I at all times want to concentrate on and domesticate in my relationship with individuals.
Is there any message you wish to share with the world?
I feel our society nonetheless actually lacks the power to see the constructive affect of individuals migrating from different nations to our territories. There’s a quote from a Brazilian singer that claims, “refugees arrive with few belongings however with many abilities.” If society may change their perspective and worth, welcome, and supply alternatives for refugees to place their items, abilities, expertise, and coaching to work, quite a bit may change for the higher — each for the refugees and the communities that welcome them.