Città Solidale

We, the Administrators and Councillors of the municipalities and local authorities listed below, representing our own institutions, sign this letter of intent, at the end of a shared, political and cultural process which marks the beginning of our commitment in favour of the following goals and ideals:

• We believe that development needs solidarity as an added value to the political and administrative strategies of a civil and active community, which is opened to the challenges of the future and ready to face them with courage, determination and dialogue among the whole actors, which are called to define the paths for a social, economic and cultural development of the territory.
• Within the economic development of the territory, we believe that the development of social economics represents a political commitment, a shared vocation and a privileged option for the future, common, political and administrative choices.
• In the social and administrative life of our towns, we commit to devote ourselves to vulnerable people, which ask for hospitality, protection, recovery and respect of dignity and work in view of their civil, economic, social promotion and the search for equal opportunities.
• We commit to support, by mandates and funds, research and training initiatives and actions for economic, social and cultural development so that to consolidate and spread solidarity practices and behaviours.
• We commit to monitor and act for achieving the goals stated above and promote dialogue and enhance human, social and institutional resources, stimulating in the meanwhile the adoption of network and collaboration dynamics.
• Furthermore we commit to be aware and pay attention to international solidarity, by promoting and taking part through resources, means and staff into actions and projects involving support and cooperation. In light thereof, we commit to use, if necessary, the tools provided by the regional national and European rules.
• In light of our commitment, and starting from the common approval of this letter of intent, we agree upon the establishment of the Federation of municipalities and local authorities called CITTÀ SOLIDALE.
• It will promote the issues of Peace and Human Rights and adhere to the National Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace.
• It will focus on horizontal, fact-based dialogue between local authorities from all over the world and it will commit to the establishment of a twinning network with European and non-European towns having the same dignity and vocation.
• It will commit to an ethical promotion of economics and will promote the development of Ethical Banking.
• It will work for developing a culture of citizenship through inclusion; specifically it will establish service and legal protection branches for people which do not have the residence permit but effectively reside on the territory.
• Concerning citizenship, it will promote integration and solidarity behaviours with local communities, be they local, European or non-European, through visits, exchanges, intents at any level, and by promoting a Europe and a world “of citizens and communities”.
• It will work for developing inclusion policies in the belief that diversity means richness; it will also promote the election of an “added councillor” among foreign citizens living in its territory.
• It will work in favour of civil education, believing that solidarity towards public institutions result from participation and acquisition of experiences; specifically, it will encourage children and youth councils in the relevant municipalities.
• It will promote the culture of “gratuitousness” by encouraging volunteer service as an expression of altruism and as a duty for a proper management of services and needs of the community.