Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, March 29, 2023
Speakers: Luis Navarro (Rector Pontifical University of the Holy Cross), Maurizio Fugatti (President, Autonomous Province of Trento), Alfredo Caltabiano (President, National Association of Large Families), Regina Maroncelli (President, European Confederation of Large Families), His Excellency Lauro Tisi (Bishop Archdiocese of Trento), His Eminence Matteo Maria Zuppi (President, Italian Episcopal Conference)
Conclusions: Eugenia Maria Roccella (Minister for Family, Birth and Equal Opportunities)
Moderator: Ilaria Vigorelli, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and ROR
Testimonials: the first municipalities in the 11 Italian regions adhering to the Network to be certified as “Friends of the Family”
***
The Network of Family Friendly Municipalities is the network of Municipalities and Organisations that at a national level intends to promote policies to support the welfare of families based on the experience developed by the Autonomous Province of Trento, which to date has certified more than 100 Family Friendly Municipalities within which more than 90% of the Trentino population lives. Founded on 6 October 2017 by the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Municipality of Alghero and the National Association of Large Families, it now has 125 municipalities spread across 11 Italian regions. The process has also extended to Europe thanks to the involvement of the European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC).
To join the Network and be certified, one has to meet certain requirements that do not require economic investment. Family-friendly municipalities adopt an annual Plan of Interventions in favour of family welfare, the implementation of which must be assessed with a view to planning for the following year. The Network’s objective is to encourage the exchange of good practices between municipalities and enable young people and families to accomplish their life plans, despite the demographic decline Italy is experiencing. In this context, the family is considered a resource for the entire community (and not a cost), enhancing its active and generative role of relational, social, educational and economic resources that are important for society and the economy. Hence the link with the activities of the ROR, which emerged in this appointment moderated by Ilaria Vigorelli, professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. The main topic was shaped by Eugenia Maria Roccella, Minister for Family, Birth and Equal Opportunities. The event also saw the participation of Matteo Maria Zuppi, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
Luciano Malfer, General Manager of the Agency for Social Cohesion of the Autonomous Province of Trento, expressed his views on the strengths of this process. He reiterated the need to define a new approach to the family seen as a resource and not a cost, with the help of a network that allows for the exchange of good practices, learning to gradually rethink the use of resources in a family-oriented way.
