Arezzo is a city in eastern Tuscany with Etruscan origins, positioned at the intersection of four valleys, which has a liveableness of a city of medium size. The "integration" is an important goal for the local policy, recognizing the value of diversity and building shared well-being with the participation of all citizens, independently of their nationalities. Arezzo is a friendly city, it is chosen by many foreigners who decide to reunite with their family and to settle in this area. The immigrant population is therefore normally stable, drawn to a city where until a few years ago it wasn’t hard to find a job and satisfied own basic needs. Today the crisis in the gold and manufacturing sector, that are vital for the local economy, not help the stability of foreign people; the city has to reinvent a different economic development on other sectors such as tourism and services. For this reason it’s necessary to provide important services such as Italian language courses to improve personal skills, which will be spent in various sectors for facilitating the access to employment.

Population diversity
Arezzo is a city of 100,645 residents, 52331 women and 48314 men, (data registry office of Municipality of Arezzo to 31/12/2011), of which 12,533 (12.5%) have a different nationalities than Italian, against a regional data of 10.3%. 5,473 are EU citizens (2,204 men, 3,269 women) and 7,060 third country citizens (3,864 men, 3,196 women). This is the highest value achieved in the town of Arezzo, after two decades have seen a steady increase from the 1,295 foreigners in 1992, 90% from outside the Community (1.4% of the population), up the current 12,533. The larger community is Romanian (equal to 37.3% of the entire foreign population), followed far behind by the Pole (3.1%) and Bulgarian (0.9%). Outside UE borders there are Bengali (11.8%), Albanians (10.7%), Pakistani (6.3%), Moroccans (3.9%), Filipinos(3.4%), Chinese (2.7%), Dominicans (2.2%), Sri Lankans (1.7%), Indians (1.3%), Nigerians (1.1%), Ukrainians (1.1%), only to remind communities established and numerically larger. As regards the balance of the gender component, are markedly feminine communities of Romanian, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian and Nigeria. Diametrically opposite situation between the Pakistanis, Indians, Bengalis, Algerians and Tunisians. There are 126 new Italians who have acquired citizenship in 2011.Interesting data on the second generation that sees 1640 foreign children born in Italy,13% of the total foreign population. In school year 2010/2011 the total school population in Arezzo from infant to high school had 14618 students, of whom 13.9% are foreigners. In the infant school there are 9% of children, of these 11% are foreigners. In primary school there are 28.1% of children and 13.5% of these are foreigners. In the junior high school there are 17.9% of children and 13.9% of these are foreigners, then in high school there are 44.9% of these children and the 11,1 % are foreigners. Compared to the foreign student population breakdown by type of school is as follows: 8,1% attend the infant school, 31% the primary school, 20.4% the junior high school and 40, 4% the high school.
Profile and activities
To administer the keywords are also included in the Strategic Plan: "To enhance the acceptance and diversity of cultures". These words translate into goals such as promoting the Italian language by people of foreign origin, cultural exchange and increase the participation of young people from families of foreign origin in cultural, recreational and sporting activities, promote active citizenship simplifying administrative procedures concerning the stay of foreign nationals into the territory and preventing the phenomena of discrimination. Among the major projects in the short term include: the opening of the House of cultures, the space for the promotion of cultural initiatives aimed at the entire population with a special focus on intercultural initiatives. Inside the House of cultures will be realized Italian language courses, cultural events, exhibitions, festivals, book launches, parties, cooking classes, training courses and all that will help the meeting and exchange between people living in Arezzo or are in transit or tourism. The operation of the facility, defined through a participatory process with stakeholders, will work as a basis for coordination and networking promoted and supported by the administration with all institutions and associations. Inside the House of cultures is also a service directed to foreign population, which will provide support to the forms of documents to stay legally in Italy, in collaboration with the Prefecture and Police of Arezzo, information and guidance on work training, education, health, home, etc. The front office will also be collecting and report any cases of racial discrimination through a protocol signed with UNAR. Particular attention will be given to projects that involve young children of immigrants to facilitate knowledge of procedures for the acquisition of Italian citizenship, and to promote initiatives in schools and give attention to the problems of same age people that are children of foreign parents.
Intercultural Cities Index

mayor

Alessandro GHINELLI

network - Italy