On June 4, 2024, in Forlì, Italy, a special ceremony marked the one-year anniversary of the floods that submerged cities in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region. The city of Forlì honored the volunteers from all over Italy who played a crucial role in the recovery efforts. One of the groups that received recognition was the Volunteer Ministers from the Scientology Churches of Italy for their valuable support during the crisis.
Led by Mayor Gian Luca Zattini, the event brought together officials from cities in Forlì-Cesena province, showcasing the widespread impact of the volunteers endeavors. The ceremony served as a tribute to the resilience and kindness demonstrated by those who helped in rebuilding after the disaster.
In May 2023, relentless rainfall led to flooding in Emilia Romagna, causing rivers to burst their banks and triggering numerous landslides. This natural calamity displaced around 1,000 residents. It also caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and farmlands amounting to an estimated €8.8 billion. Despite this devastation, volunteers emerged as beacons of hope through their actions underscoring humanity’s strength and compassion.
The Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology played an important role in aiding with the arduous flood recovery efforts. They worked tirelessly to get rid of the mud from flooded areas, remove debris, strengthen compromised structures, and dispose of mold contaminated materials. Their efforts went beyond tasks; they also provided essential supplies like food and water, offering crucial help to affected residents.
A distinctive feature of the Volunteer Ministers aid was their focus on providing support. Trained in techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, they offered "assists", aimed at helping individuals cope with spiritual challenges following the disaster. These assists played a role in assisting flood victims in finding peace and stability, allowing them to face immediate obstacles and plan for the future.
After the event, the Volunteer Ministers set up their yellow tents in Piazza Saffi, the city’s central square. This gesture welcomed locals and visitors from towns to explore Scientology Tools for Life – a set of 19 free online courses designed to address a range of life issues from relationship struggles to setting goals, coping with dangerous environments and communication.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program, a humanitarian initiative launched in the mid-1970s, drew inspiration from an essay, by L. Ron Hubbard.
He had a vision of promoting kindness and goodness to combat the problems in society, expressing that anyone who is displeased with the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence in our world can take action. By becoming a Volunteer Minister one can contribute to making society more civilized and imbuing it with values like trust, decency, honesty and tolerance, and from that their motto that no matter what is going on “Something Can Be Done About It”.
Embracing the belief that positive change is possible, the Volunteer Ministers have consistently come together in times of crisis under the vision and leadership of Scientology’s religious leader, Mr. David Miscavige. Following the New York events of 9/11 they formalized their efforts, and in Italy, the parishioners established Pro.Civi.Co.S, an organization dedicated to civil protection. Recognized by Italy’s National Department of Civil Defense this group has played a role in both local and international disaster relief operations such as aiding during earthquakes in L'Aquila and Amatrice, responding to the South Asian tsunami in 2004, assisting after the Haiti earthquake in 2010, supporting following the Albania earthquake in 2019, as well as providing aid after the Croatia earthquake in 2020.
Amidst the challenges posed by the COVID 19 Volunteer Ministers adapted their approach by setting up helplines for support services for healthcare workers and addressing community needs while also ensuring safe environments, for congregational worship through sanitization efforts.
Their unwavering commitment to endeavors is showcased in the latest full length movie, "Operation: Do Something About It" now streaming on the Scientology Network.
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