After an incubation period during which a number of preparatory meetings were held, UAI in Italy has been formally established. This coincided with a first public event on 18 June 2019 at the Foreign Correspondents club in Rome where international and Italian journalists debated issues around the criminalisation of asylum – based on Sarah Hammerl’s report for UAI. The meeting attracted considerable media and NGO attention.
A streaming of the event can be seen here.
Kostas Moschochoritis, Secretary General of Intersos (in his personal capacity) has agreed be the “anchor” for the group. Other members of the provisional UAI in Italy committee include:
- Nino Sergi, President Emeritus of Intersos
- Marco Cilento, Rome Sapienza University, Faculty of Communications
- Andrea Crescenzi, Sapienza University, International Humanitarian Law
- Giovanni Visone, Intersos Fund-raising and Communications director
- Gianni Rufini, General Director Amnesty International Italy (in his personal capacity)
- Antonio Donini, Member of the UAI International Executive Committee
In the coming weeks the Italian group will work to enlarge the committee and will hold a first formal meeting at the end of September. It will develop a workplan for the next year. UAI in Italy already has a Facebook page and is working on a number of initiatives. It will hold a public event in Rome at the end of October with journalists and NGOs – probably around Common Article 1 and the responsibility of states and individuals to ensure that the Geneva Conventions are respected. Details will be posted on the UAI and UAI in Italy websites. We will also be using planned NGO and academic events to spread the word about UAI. For example a UAI speaker will participate in the launch of the 2019 Conflict Atlas (a biennial publication supported by Intersos and other NGOs and academic institutions) on 23 October in Milan. So, watch this space!
