Costa Cruises has decided to donate €100,000 to projects being undertaken by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to support refugee relief efforts in Europe. This humanitarian aid is in favor of people who have been forced to flee their home countries because of war, persecution, and oppression, in particular asylum seekers arriving in Italy and Germany in the hope of finding freedom, security and justice. In Costa Cruises we believe that all men and women should have the right to live safe lives and to be able to plan their future. For this reason the company always keeps a close eye on humanitarian crises as they arise in different parts of the world, especially when they force hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, in many cases leaving them separated from their loved ones.
Costa’s donation is important and it is going to an organization that carries out an essential task: since 2002 MSF has worked in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Health to provide medical assistance at the Centro di Primo Soccorso e Accoglienza in Pozzallo, offering first aid and counseling both in port and at the processing centers in the Ragusa province of Sicily.

"The current situation is an exceptional challenge for the whole of Europe. The fate of the refugees concerns all of us. Hundreds of thousands of people who have left everything behind them need all the support we can give them. For us it is a question of humanity to provide help now, fast and without red tape", said Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group. His words were echoed by Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba: "Europe is facing a big emergency and we at Costa felt the responsibility to provide our support. Each day we understand more about this extremely sad situation and the needs all refugees have. We think that we must concretely support the ongoing relief efforts and that’s why we want to sustain them."