Lunaria

Lunaria, a world on the move Lunaria is a nonprofit organization, secular, independent and autonomous by the parties founded in 1992. It promotes peace, social and economic justice, equality and guarantee of citizenship rights, democracy and participation from below, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. Lunaria practices and fosters processes of social change at local, national and international level through advocacy, political-cultural animation, communication, non-formal education, training and research, information and awareness campaigns and with work on the net. International mobility and voluntary work, youth policies, migration and the fight against racism, analysis of public budget, economic and social policies, sustainable development, the fight against inequality, are at the center of its social commitment. International Voluntary Service Every year Lunaria sends around 500 Italian volunteers to international voluntary service short-term initiatives abroad and facilitates the hosting of as many foreign volunteers in its initiatives carried out in co-operation with local partners in Italy. This is possible thanks to the co-operation with several associations belonging to the umbrella structure of the Alliance of the European Voluntary Service Organisations, of which Lunaria is member. This network gathers more than 50 bodies that promote international voluntary service world-wide. On the Italian side Lunaria co-operates with several local governments and socially-oriented associations willing to include a short-term project of voluntary service with international volunteers in their activities. We are engaged in the promotion of long and medium-term voluntary service such as the EU’s European Voluntary Service for young people and the promotion of individual and collective projects for adults and senior, for which we have awarded the 2007 European Commission’s Grundtvig’s best European project. Non-formal Education We promote youth training and initiatives at local, national and European level involving every year hundreds of young citizens and youth workers. Migrations Since 1996, Lunaria has been promoting research on migration flows, information and campaigns to promote the rights of migrant citizens and actions to fight racism and xenophobia. Our campaigns mainly focus on the acknowledgement of active and passive voting right for foreigners and the safeguarding of their civil and social rights. We advocate decision-making on permanence and residence permits to the civil structures, the introduction of ordinary procedures for the regularisation of foreign citizens present in Italy and the closure of the Centres of Identification and Expulsion, which have been created in recent years in Italy. Sbilanciamoci! Since the year 1999, Lunaria has been coordinating Sbilanciamoci! (“Let’s get unbalanced!”): a coalition that brings together 46 Italian non-profit, peace, human rights, environment, fair trade, ethical finance organisations, and a network – which is largely part of the coalition itself – of economists, researchers, journalists, students and social workers. For twenty years, Sbilanciamoci! has been committed to redirect the allocation of public resources and public money towards greater social justice and a sustainable and peaceful economy; to enhance and consolidate collaboration at European level with networks and social movements involved in the construction of a democratic, just and solidarity-based Europe; to develop research activities, advocacy, training and communication initiatives aimed at promoting a fair and sustainable development model, in Italy and all over the world. Sbilanciamoci! runs and manages the webmagazine of information and socio-economic critical analysis Sbilanciamoci.info; publishes articles, research reports and dossiers; engages in dialogue, advocacy and confrontation with institutions and public decision-makers on the adoption of new public policies; organizes public events, scientific conferences, training seminars and promotes public debate on economic issues and economic alternatives; participates to and supports campaigns and social movements. For twenty years Sbilanciamoci! has been talking, raising awareness and interacting with thousands of people, has been publishing over 100 publications (reports, dossier, e-boks) and 4,300 articles, has been organising over 500 public events (conferences, workshops and debates, sit-ins). Sbilanciamoci! works, studies, mobilizes and buids bridges and alternatives: for a fairer and more sustainable economy, a more supportive society, a more forward-looking policy making.