ROME - On the initiative of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the International Symposium on the Pastoral Care of the Road (Istituto Maria Bambina) will be held from 13 to 17 September in Rome.

Objective of the meeting: to study effective strategies to combat the scourge of children and street women and their families, a drama that, according to a press release, "requires a quickening of the times of intervention both by the universal Church and by the Churches local authorities, than from civil institutions ".

The symposium takes place "in the light of the teachings of Pope Francis", and in view of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Synod of Bishops on the Family and the Seventh World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

The cardinal president of the Dicastery, Antonio Maria Vegliò, opened the works on September 13th at 5pm.

Among the topics on the table the trafficking and the phenomenon of street children and women in the different countries of the world, also in light of the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.

Among the speakers, Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family; Isabela Mihalache (Council of Europe), Sr. Gabriella Bottani, coordinator of Talitha Kum, international network of consecrated life against the phenomenon of trafficking, who presented the theme "Women's Dignity and Talitha Kum".

At the end of the symposium the special audience with Pope Francis, on the morning of 17 September.