thSince its beginning, the conflict in Syria, has created around 7,6 milions of internally displaced persons and more than 3 millions registered refugees although it has been estimated the real number is much higher. The majority of these people are staying in Syria’s neighbouring countries: Lebanon (1.700.000 people). Turkey (1.600.000) ad Jordan (800.000). At the beginning of the conflict many people also left to Iraq, but they had to go back to Syria and then Turkey when the Islamic State moved forward from Iraq. The people who left Syria for its nieghbouring countries or the internally displaced ones are in most cases the poorest and have moved by foot. Among them, the ones who where able to exit Syria are now living in huge refugee camps with critical health and igenic conditions.

The people who had the economic means left Syria by plane to countries that did not ask for a visa like Egypt, Libya or Sudan (these countries, and Lebanon as well, have started asking for visas from Syrians). Most of them left the country at the beginning of the conflict (2011 or 2012) hoping that it would end soon. In these countries they lived in appartment buildings rented only to Syrians at very high prices, sharing flats with other families and working mostly in demeaning jobs. Children did not go to school and women found it difficult to find activities outside from home. With time, however, Libya and Egypt have became more and more unstable and violent, racism towards Syrians increased, and it became clear that the conflict back at home was not going to end soon. Scared and tired most of them decided to move to the European countries, like Sweden, that had offered them asylum. Unable to get there legally they had to contact human smugglers who would have brought them to Europe by sea. The sea trip costs aroun 1.000 and 1.500 US dollars per person; it might take between 1 and 3 days if it starts in Libya and around a week from Egypt to arrive in Italy.

Usually Syrians flee their country with the whole family: the two parents, 3/6 children, the grandparents and the aunts and uncles. The people who arrive in Italy by sea are usually people who had a steady life at home: people who have studied and used to work in socially high positions. None of them, however, wishes to stop in Italy because the asylum system here is not as good as in other European countries and because Italy never said that it was going to open its doors to Syrian refugees.  Since October 2013, around 45.000 Syrians have passed through Milan, of them, only 0.1% has asked for asylum in Italy.