Jan. 8 – With a degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Bologna, a series of important internships in Brussels and Rome promoted by the European Union under his belt, and the opportunity to participate in a World Food Programme mission in Mali, Stefano Santoro is the now program officer of the WFP in Erbil. A Stefano Santoro, 27, is a young man from Potenza who lives in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, dealing with planning food distribution, maintaining relationships with other UN Agencies, coordinating food assistance with non-governmental organizations, and negotiating with local authorities. (Red)

THE HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY

In Iraq, following the advance of the ISIS fundamentalist militias, there is now a situation of humanitarian emergency for hundreds of thousands of refugees. Entire communities are fleeing from armed fundamentalist: Christians, Shiites, Sunnis, Yazidis… On top of the massacres, persecution, violence and summary executions, there is also the food emergency. The people that were forced to leave overnight their homes and everything they owned, are suddenly no longer able to provide a roof, clothes, or even a loaf of bread for themselves. Stefano Santoro briefly returned home for the holidays, and is about to return to Iraq to continue doing the job he loves.