Ilma Skuodienė, the head of the Foreigners Integration Program of Vilnius Caritas, the organization that has initiated the resettlement, told BNS that the arrival of the four Christian families was being finalized. They should settle in the capital, Vilnius, and be taken care of by local parish communities.
Vilnius churches will collect donations to support the families, with residents asked to contribute money and meet with the refugees, spend time with them or invite them to their homes, help them get to know Vilnius and introduce to the Lithuanian culture and traditions.
The Iraqis will study the Lithuanian language and learn about the country’s history.
Christian communities, which are in minority in Iraq, are persecuted by armed groups of the Islamic State. The groups are responsible for brutal violations of human rights, attacks against civilians, executions, massacres, abductions and rapes.
Some 40 persecuted Christians arrived in Lithuania from Syria in the winter of 2014, they were hosted by the Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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