ITALY
62"dSESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRD COMMITTEE PRESBNTATTON OF THE REPORT (N62t306) OF THE SPBCIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RACISM. MR. DIENE TNTERACTIVE DIALOGUE

STATEMENT BY AMBASSADORALDO MANTOVANI DEPUTY PERMANENTREPRESENTATIVBOF ITALY TO THE UNITED NATIONS

(NEW YORK, NOVBMBBR 7,2007)

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distinguished Mr. Chairman,Mr. SpecialRapporteur, delegates, Allow me to thank, on behalf of the Italian Government,the SpecialRapporteur forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobiaand related on contemporary I intolerance his report (A1621306).also wish to renewthe commitmentof the for Italian Authorities to granting him and other relevantHuman Rights mechanisms and assistance. our co-operation I am grateful to the Special Rapporteur for acknowledging both in his Report before us today (A1621306) and in the ad hoc mission Report (A/HRC/4ll9lAdd.4) presented the Human Rights Council in March 2007, to "the Italian Government's commitment combating to racismand xenophobia, the efforts to improve the situation of Roma and Sinti communities and for the recognition of those communities, and finally, a greater sensitivity to (Al ;' multiculturalism 62I 3 06, para.62) to The Italian Governmentis determined effectivelyprotectand promotehuman - be it civil and political, economic,social and cultural.This commitment rights is one of the pillars of Italy's domesticand foreign policy. The Italian legal system seeks to create a framework of guarantees,inspired by the non discriminationprinciple, enshrinedin Art. 3 of the Italian Constitution.Thus, Italian Authorities are specificallycommittedto combatingany forms of racism, and relatedintolerance. xenophobia racialdiscrimination, In this very welcomeongoingDialoguewith Mr. Diene,over the last monthsmy to Authorities have provided the Special Rapporteurwith severaldocuments, clarify issuesthat, also due to their complex and technical nature,need to be and carefullyfollowed throughouttheir development that are not alwaysproperly in addressed the missionReport(A/HRC/4l19lAdd/). and exhaustively Italy has a very strong tradition of protection and promotion of human rights. Our past experienceof emigrationhas played a fundamentalrole. Our history and geographicposition are at the foundationsof Italy's receptive attitude toward sea,Italy has beenalways Locatedin the middle of the Mediterranean foreigners. the Nowadays, Italian population of the crossroads differentpeoplesand cultures. bearsthe signsof this diversity,morethan ever.

issues, raisedin the In this framework,let me briefly touch upon someoutstanding Reportsunderreference: 1. Italy submittedthe National Plan of Action on the Follow up to the World Conferenceagainst Racism, Xenophobiaand Related Intolerance,on March 2006, at the end of a negotiationprocessinvolving importantNGOs. In for July 2007, Italy sent the Office of the High Commissioner Human Rights its of Our contribution to the Report on the implementation UNGA Res. 149161. focus was on the following areas:the activities of existing regional bodies and centres that combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intoierance; the role of civil society in the fight against racism, racial the and relatedintolerance; racismin sportevents. xenophobia discrimination, is the 2. As to the integrationprocess, Italian Parliament currently examining the Bill on The Citizenship (within the lJnified Text of August 4, 2006). Once citizenship- to be grantedby the adopted, will envisage following proceedings: it Decree of the Ministry of the Interior, upon the request of the individual who haveresidedlegally in Italy for five to concerned may be released foreigners who have had asylum-seekers years and meet specific income requirements, refugeestatusfor at leastthree years,and foreign youths - abovethe age of 18 who have been adoptedby Italian citizens (in the latter case,s/he may apply for More importantly,foreigners five yearsafter his/heradoption). Italian citizenship, grantedItalian citizenshiparenot requiredto relinquishtheir citizenshipof origin. the "Charter of values In the areaof integration, Italy hasrecentlyadopted 3. of citizenshipand integration". By recallingrelevantprinciplesand valuesset forth in the Italian constitution, this charter seeksto clarif' the constitutional in provisions, be recalledand implemented all thosesituationsin which Italians to meetimmigrants. The drafting process involved all the relevant stakeholders,including the "future" Italians. The Italian Authorities studied: of representatives "new" or right of worship and education; services to and wages;access health-care salaries and its implications; women's human and freedom of religion; secularization rights; and the'rights of the child. This Charterhas beenthus adoptedin order to who enterItalian territory.This of raiseawareness dutiesand rights for immigrants including in the schools. nation-wide, Charterwill be promptly disseminated

4. To protect the freedom of religion, there are seven recently signed agreements, be added to the six currently in force under Art.8, para.3,of the to Italian Constitution. The inclusion of the Muslim communitiesin Italy, namely AMI, the Muslim CulturalCentre,COREIS and UCOI, has beenfacilitatedby the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers, through these agreements. The proceedingsto recognize variouscreeds the haveto be conducted representatives that creed, by of but suchan individual has not vet beenindicated. 5. On the occasionof the InternationalDay on Roma People (April 4th';,the Italian Minister of the Interior chairedan ad hoc meetingof the Committee against Discrimination and Anti-Semitism. There he reiterated the need to promote specificactions,including an international conferenceon the situationof Roma and Sinti communities.This Conference will take place, in Italy, at the end of January 2008. At the same time a national Conferenceis being prepared,in cooperation with Roma associations,to overcome wide-spread distrust and counterprejudices againstminorities. The CommitteeagainstDiscriminationand Anti-Semitisrnis studyingwhetheror not to set up an Observatory, involving the Roma and Sinti communities, draft to measures be discussed the courseof theseconferences. to in Further to requests made by the EIJ Parliament,consideration being given to recognizingRoma is peopleas a linguistic minority. Existinglegislations only recognize rightsof the the historical linguistic minorities. The Roma people were not included due to with the territorialrequirement. their lack of compliance On a more generalnote, we wish to stressthe debateat both the Governmentand Parliament levels, on various draft laws, aimed at either "protecting Roma people and their cultural identity", or "recognizing Roma people as a f inguistic minority", or "establishing an ad hoc enquiry Parliament or Commissiontt, "ratifying the European Charter on Linguistic Minorities". An Inter-ministerial Working Group, including representatives local and of is municipalauthbrities, currentlyworking on a relevantcomprehensive/omnibus bill. in Somegood practiceshave been implemented, the past year,by the Ministry of the between Police and vulnerable the Interior,to improve contactand cooperation of groups,including the Roma people.SinceJune2005, an ad hoc Memorandum

betweenthe Association Nomadsand the Ministry of Education for Understanding is in force,to ensureand protectRomachildren'srights to educational access. The above MoU was translatedinto conventionswith regional Education Offices, of aimedat promotingthe integration Romapupils at the local level. Severalinitiatives have been also launchedby the Ministry on Rights and Equal such as meetingswith RomaNGOs, the establishment a specific of Opportunities, study on Roma and Sinti Working Group, mandatedto carry out a comprehensive issues,and the funding of relevant ad hoc projectsnationcommunities-related wide. 6. The flow of foreignersenteringItaly illegally is a growing concern.Italy is engagedin the implementation a comprehensivelaw on asylum. We must of naturally take into account the goals of the EU, specifically the political processprovided for by the Amsterdam Treaty concerning right to the integration freedomof movementand asylum.Oncethe threemain EU Directiveson asylum have beenintegratedinto domesticlevel, the possibility of tabling a Bill in order in regulations force,will be promptly considered. to integrate and harmonize As to the situation of illegal immigrants,particularly in the Centres for 7. Temporary Stay and Assistance (acronym in Italian, CPTA), by General Directive, dated March 5'h, 2007, the Minister of the Interior underlined his in to specificcommitment work on guidelinesand strategies, order to improve of, the living conditionsin and, more generally,the management the facilities All agreements devotedto host illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers. relevant "Guidelinesfor - in force or to be signed- must be consistent with the so-called respectfor the various the Managementof the Centres(CPTA)," to guarantee services; health-care cultural,ethnic, religious and linguistic origins; appropriate service. legalaid; and culturalmediation,includingtranslation delegates, distinguished Mr. Chairman, By reiteratingthe importanceof this exercise,I wish to sincerelythank, once again, the Special Rapporteur for his visit to Italy and for giving me the opportunity to reaffirm the willingness of the Italian Authorities to continue cooperating,in a spirit of open, constructiveand fruitful dialogue,with him and with all the other Human Rights mechanisms.