Purpose:
The ITACA project aims to combat discriminatory practices and support victims of discrimination in seven municipalities within the Italian Intercultural Cities Network (Città del Dialogo). By promoting non-discriminatory practices and providing assistance to victims of ethnic, religious, or gender-based discrimination, the project aims to foster inclusivity and social cohesion within these communities.
Rationale:
The rationale behind the ITACA project lies in the recognition of the prevalence of discriminatory practices within society and the need to address these issues at the local level. Leveraging the expertise of the Italian network and partnering with organizations such as UNAR and ASGI, the project seeks to harness collective efforts to combat discrimination effectively. By focusing on promoting non-discriminatory practices and providing support to victims, the project aims to create safer and more inclusive environments for all residents.
The ITACA project main goals are, on one hand, to strengthen the role that the ICC Network has in promoting an effective implementation of non-discrimination legislation, policies, and practices; thus, contributing to fight direct and indirect discriminations both inside and outside the administrations. On the other hand, to promote a public-private cooperation, in cities that join the project, to increase rights-awareness and knowledge among citizens and local organizations.
Process:
The ITACA project involves collaboration between ICEI, the seven participating municipalities Casalecchio di Reno, Fucecchio, Modena, Novellara, Olbia, Reggio Emilia and Viareggio), and partner organizations. Activities include conducting awareness-raising campaigns, implementing training programs on intercultural competence, and establishing mechanisms for reporting and addressing instances of discrimination. Through these efforts, the project aims to build capacity within municipalities to effectively combat discrimination and promote diversity and inclusion.
The project is structured around three main areas. The first area focuses on enhancing cities' capacities to combat discrimination practices. This involves various activities such as identifying instances of discrimination in municipal services and providing training sessions for city staff on anti-discrimination legislation and policies. Additionally, there are collaborative initiatives between cities at both national and European levels, including peer reviews of European best practices, organizing transnational study visits to share experiences beyond the Italian context, and establishing a working group on anti-discrimination practices within the ICC framework. Finally, this area includes the development and testing of anti-discrimination tools in two pilot municipalities.
The second area aims to strengthen public-private cooperation. Workshops for civil society organizations (CSOs) on anti-discrimination and advocacy practices will be conducted in project cities, alongside various awareness-raising events on these topics. At a national level, there will be a meeting between municipalities and CSOs. These activities will be supported by a social media communication campaign.
The third and final area focuses on disseminating and sharing the initiative at a European level. This will involve organizing a national advocacy and dissemination event for Italian municipalities within the ICC, as well as knowledge-sharing events at the European level. The project will conclude with a seminar for EU stakeholders in Reggio Emilia.
Impact:
The impact of the ITACA project is multifaceted. It is expected to result in increased awareness of discriminatory practices within the participating municipalities and empower communities to take action against such practices. By providing support to victims of discrimination, the project aims to mitigate the negative effects of discrimination on individuals and promote their rights and well-being. Ultimately, the project seeks to foster a more inclusive and tolerant society where diversity is celebrated, and discrimination is actively challenged.
The project beneficiaries include municipalities, whose visibility will be enhanced through participation in a national and European initiative aimed at reducing discrimination, alongside gaining new tools for combatting it and promoting better inclusion of minority groups; technical, administrative, and political staff, who will receive new tools and improve existing ones to address discriminatory practices within municipal administration; and the population and territory, which will become more aware of discrimination issues and benefit from a more inclusive climate towards minorities, fostering a more united and cohesive society.
Key reference documents:
https://icei.it/progetti/itaca-citta-italiane-contro-la-discriminazione/?lang=en
