by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Matteo Valentinuz – UNHCR Representative, Stefano Bardari – President of the association Donk HM odv, Enrico Trevisi – Bishop of Trieste
Nine months after opening its doors, “Spazio 11,” a solidarity-based waiting and support center, is offering a clearer picture of its role in the city’s social landscape. The facility was created through a partnership between the Diocesan Caritas of Trieste, the humanitarian association Donk Humanitarian Medicine, and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Conceived as a place of welcome and care for people living on the streets, as well as for newly arrived migrants and refugees, the center has quickly become a steady point of reference.
Since launching, Spazio 11 has provided assistance to a steady flow of individuals — both long-term residents facing hardship and people passing through the border city as part of broader migratory routes. In addition to offering basic support, the space has evolved into a workshop for community engagement, where staff members and volunteers work side by side. Their activities range from providing medical and social services to offering informal guidance, using their professional expertise to ensure universal access to help.
To present the work accomplished so far and outline the project’s early impact, organizers will hold a press conference on Monday, December 1, at 11 a.m. at “Casa Donk” on Via Udine 11.
Speakers will include Enrico Trevisi, the Bishop of Trieste; Stefano Bardari, president of Donk Humanitarian Medicine; and Matteo Valentinuz of the UNHCR.
