The 32-page publication, titled ‘Refugees’, is a joint initiative of PAR and the state High Commission for Migrations. It is to be published as a supplement in some newspapers, as well as online.

In comments to Lusa News Agency, the current coordinator of PAR, Rui Marques, explained that the magazine has as its objective “informing and enlightening the Portuguese about some myths and some fears that they have in their heads relative to the question of refugees”. He cited fears of an “invasion”, the danger of “Islamisation” or the issue of terrorism, as well as why so many refugees have mobile phones.
According to PAR, there are 115 institutions and 135 families who have offered to receive refugees, meaning that 660 can be housed. Of these, 68 institutions and 85 families could immediately receive 420.
This would be under the programme PAR Famílias, which defines a community model in which each family is to be housed by a host institution for two years. It would be up to the receiving institution to provide adequate autonomous housing, food and clothing, help with looking for work, access to the public health service, and support with access to education and the learning of Portuguese.
Companies have also offered help, including the publisher Porto Editora, which has pledged to provide all refugees, adult and children, with a kit to learn Portuguese, including books, dictionaries and various other materials.
The launch is to take place at the University of Lisbon, the latest member of PAR.
Portugal is to be allocated some 4,700 refugees under a European Union plan to distribute asylum seekers around the EU.