Centenary celebration helps to “ease loneliness”

Yesterday, Jan. 19, marked the 100th anniversary of the World Day for Migrants and Refugees. Celebrations were held among the local community to "ease their [migrants'] loneliness."
In St. Joseph's School Auditorium, activities be-
gan at noon with a "fellowship lunch" featuring booths of different food. Cultural presentations from Myanmar, Vietnam, East Timor, Indonesia, China, Macau, Philippines and Thailand were staged by migrant workers from their respective countries.
The celebration, organized by the Catholic Church in Macau, started with a mass at St. Augustine's church in the morning. The event venues were packed with participants yesterday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the celebration, Sister Rosa Viloria from the Good Shepherd Sisters group told the Times that the numbers of visitors met her expectations. She estimated during the press conference last week that the event was expected to attract between 1,500 and 2,000 migrants, higher than any previous years.
According to her, participants were from different nations in five continents, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Brazil. "All of them are migrant workers and their families. Some are working in professional positions such as doctors, professors, nurses, engineers and so on." 
It is the fourth time the event has been held since the first celebration for migrants and refugees' day in Macau in 2010. Sister Rosa Viloria said the event will be held each year. "It is a day to remember people who have moved from one place to another, trying to improve their own lives."
This year, the theme for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees was chosen by the current Pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis. It was "Migrants and Refugees: Towards a Better World."
Despite all the hardships, Sister Rosa Viloria believes that the social status of migrant workers in Macau is improving: "Of course, there is more room for improvement, such as better working relationships between employers and employees, better working conditions and hopefully, the regulations and laws for the migrant workers." She believes it is good that there are provisions for these workers, but that the implementation of them is also important. "Some of the employers, and even the agencies, are not honest, some just act like they are robbing money," she stated.
"That's why we all come in, support and help. The importance is that these people, with one and another, they are not alone in their difficulties, they know from whom to seek for help. It is a way to feel good about each other and find people that they can trust," she said.
Mr Chan, a staff member from the hotel industry who took part in a dance performance with his fellow migrants from Myanmar yesterday, told the Times about the meaning of the song they danced to: "The song we danced to is about unity. Because Myanmar contains various ethnic minority groups, each of which has its own unique dancing features."  According to him, other members from his group are canteen staff, missionaries and students who originally moved from Myanmar.
When asked about his reasons for voluntarily joining in at the event, Chan, who has been living in Macau for more than 20 years, said: "As one of the migrants who left our own country, we hope to support the event." In addition, he said the major difficulty that impedes migrant workers is the language barrier while job-hunting.
Ms Wariyanti, who performed a "Lion Dance" with her fellow migrants from Indonesia, mentioned that she enjoys her life in Macau and working as a housemaid, taking care of babies. However, the group, all of whom work as domestic helpers in Macau, expressed their concerns about the recent case in HK involving an Indonesian maid who was allegedly tortured by her employer. Wariyanti said she and members of her association the Migrant Workers Union (IMWU) (based in Hong Kong) have all supported the maid by donating money and urging the HK government to give the victim justice. She worried that Indonesia workers in Macau would have no way to seek help if "bad things happened" due to the absence of authorities such as the Consulate General of Indonesia in HK.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/centenary-celebration-helps-to-ease-loneliness/