BolognaInstitutional campaign «Bolognesi dal Primo Giorno» («Bolognesi from day one»)

Contact

Ius Soli Bologna

Maurizio Ferretti E-Mail: Maurizio.Ferretti@comune.bologna.it

How does it operate?

«Bolognesi dal primo giorno» is a symbolic initiative aimed at fostering dialogue on local citizenship while also generating momentum for a national debate on Italy’s restrictive citizenship laws. The initiative includes a public awareness campaign and a series of events.

Since its launch in 2022, the Municipality of Bologna has organized:

• A gathering around March 21st, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, with young people born in Italy to migrant parents who turned 18 the previous year.

• A festival of new citizenship in July, organized in collaboration with local migrant associations.

• A festival with Bologna’s schools in November - an important occasion for dialogue between the Mayor and the city’s youth.

Who initiated the project? How?

In June 2022, the City Council approved an amendment to the Municipality’s Statute in one of its plenary sessions. It incorporates the principle of ‘ius-soli’ as part of a broader anti-discrimination approach (see SPAD), making it a cross-cutting aspect in municipal policies and services. To further engage the public and promote the concept of local citizenship, the Department of Innovation and Relations with Citizenry, the Department of Education, and the Mayor’s Office have initiated an ongoing citywide dialogue through billboards and collaboration with civil society actors such as Dalla Parte Giusta della Storia, artists such as Mismaonda and local outlets including Il Resto del Carlino. This political step, driven by local institutions in partnership with civil society actors, has helped amplify the campaign’s central message: that everyone born in Bologna is an integral and equal part of the (local) society.

What is the outcome?

The inclusion of ‘ius-soli’ in the city charter serves as the foundation for a holistic approach that combines awareness-raising with policy entrepreneurship. The campaign fosters a sense of belonging to the local community through events on identity and citizenship, engaging approximately 1,000 students from 50 different school classes. These activities contribute to the integration of young racialized individuals and those born to migrant parents, strengthening their connection to the local community. Reinforcing the idea of a diverse and inclusive society at the local level also helps generate momentum and institutional backing for civil society organizations advocating for national policy changes (such as Dalla Parte Giusta della Storia e.g.). Bologna’s initiative thus helps to advocate for a change of the Italian citizenship law with the goal of ensuring full rights for children of migrants born or raised in Italy, as well as for long-term foreign residents.