Sicily – An island of migration

You could say that migration is in Sicily's DNA. The largest island in the Mediterranean and a gateway to Europe for people crossing from North Africa, it has been a melting pot for centuries. Migrants continue to arrive on the island in their tens of thousands each year, after risking the dangerous Mediterranean journey in unseaworthy boats. Across the island migrants from Africa, South Asia and elsewhere have formed well-established communities, running businesses and becoming part of Sicilian society. There are also migrants who have no legal status, scraping an existence in abandoned buildings and exploited by unscrupulous employers in Sicily's main industries – fishing, farming, hospitality and tourism. In this special podcast edition made in September 2022, InfoMigrants catches up with migrants from different parts of Sicily who are living very different lives, and we hear from some long-term residents who are trying to help newcomers with the many challenges they face.

Credits
Reporters: Emma Wallis and Arafatul Islam
Presenter and Producer: Emma Wallis
Editor: Marion MacGregor
Studio production: Jürgen Kuhn at DW studios
Music: Chinese Man Records, France