Report by Ms. Lisa Clark, the Co-President of International Peace Bureau and long-time supporter of Mayors for Peace based in Italy
In Italy, we launched a campaign to convince the Italian government to change its mind and join the TPNW in 2016. The Italian members of Mayors for Peace are among the most influential element of this campaign called “Italia, ripensaci.” The month of January was full of activities, announcing and leading up to the entry into force of the TPNW on 22 January, 2021.
On 15 January, “Italia, ripensaci” organized a webinar with the participation of several Mayors for Peace members: two large cities (Padova and Brescia), two regional associations in the Veneto and in Tuscany, Arco in the province of Trento, Paciano in the province of Perugia, and the Lead City of Italy, Cervia. Each of these cities had produced the TPNW poster welcoming the entry into force and posted it in City Hall and elsewhere. Many of 516 Italian members have also approved a resolution proposed by “Italia, ripensaci” committing themselves to ask the Italian government to join the TPNW process.
On 22 January, we organized another webinar, with live reporting from many of our cities (Padova, Torino, Cervia, Brescia) where town hall and church bells rang at midday, as a symbolic celebration of the entry into force. The Catholic church also supported these actions. In Brescia, the Mayor and the Bishop issued a joint statement in support of “Italia, ripensaci”, asking the national government to change its mind! We are currently requesting that Italy be present as an observer at the first meeting of TPNW States Parties in Austria. All these events were well reported in national media and given prominent coverage in the local press.