Le istituzioni locali e il mondo associativo per la costruzione di una rete in materia di cooperazione, cultura di pace, integrazione multietnica, promozione dei diritti umani e della solidarietà fra i popoli.
The International Day for the eradication of Poverty
17 October has been designated the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by the UN. Perhaps, it is a striking fact that there are about 17 000 homeless people in Italy sleeping on the streets or in special reception centres. However, we should reflect on this fact…
Night of the homeless - On the 17th of October the street newspaper “Terre di mezzo” organised the Night of the homeless. This event was held at squares of 14 Italian cities for the eighth time. Parma was among the participating cities, together with Rome and Milan. The programme of the event foresaw debates and performance in the evening, but, first of all, the night in a wool bag on the street in order to get an insight into the conditions of daily life of these people: silent people sleeping on the cement instead of bed and sometimes asking for a help at the Listening Centres of the Italian Caritas.
Last year 3 000 requests of the homeless were registered. They asked for articles of prime necessity and services – from food to cloths, but also personal hygiene products – as well as accommodation and job. Moreover, in order to open the eyes of those who did not spend the night on the square, “Terre di mezzo” will dedicate a special issue of the newspaper to the homeless with inquiries and data given by associations and public and private welfare organisations, which are the only ones coming in direct contact with these “awkward and invisible” population.
"Sguardi"- CILAP and the Valdocco Animation Cooperative in cooperation with the Province of Turin presented the “Sguardi”, public strategies for reducing social vulnerability, at the National Cinema Museum in Turin for the day of October 18. The event was focused upon the programmes at European, national and local level aiming to cope with the problem of social inclusion. The objective of the congress was not only to discuss the European Strategy for Social Protection and Social Inclusion, but also to have a look at various territorial experiments, among which was the “Fragile Horizons” promoted by the social solidarity office of the Province of Turin.
This project foresees a series of initiatives to curb the cases of extreme poverty that could lead to social vulnerability. The project provides economic support, psychological and material help to persons facing difficulties and a double support – providing with credits and quality consumption. For example, it provides with individual micro-credits, as well as trainings oriented to saving. That is the case of “Last minute market”, a project created by the Carp Cibum Cooperative of Bologna, retaining some products that can’t be sold any more, but of good quality, and delivering them to several communities of the zone thus avoiding food waste and orienting to saving. Moreover, another project in the programme involves a group of general practitioners who fill in medical certificates for homeless persons of the zone, often mostly affected with illnesses and infections because of their uneasy life conditions and facing problems of access to the National Health Service. Food and health, but not only. The programme foresaw other projects that were explained and illustrated during the congress together with other proposals from the Province of Milan and Rome. The concrete proposals drawing our attention to this awkward and invisible reality.
