Presentation of the archive of the "Committee for the Support of Peace Forces and Initiatives of the Province of Padova", University Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca", 13 November 2026

On Friday, 13 November 2026, at 9:00 a.m., at the "P. Cancellieri" Library (Via Beato Pellegrino 34, Padova), the archive of the "Committee for the Support of Peace Forces and Initiatives of the Province of Padova" will be presented. The archive will be donated to the University Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca", which will ensure its preservation and enhancement for the benefit of students, researchers, doctoral candidates, and the public.

The initiative returns to the community a documentary heritage that tells the story of the Paduan area's commitment to peace and cooperation among peoples.

Programme

Marco Mascia, President of the Human Rights Centre “Antonio Papisca”, University of Padova

Daniele Canella, President of the Province of Padova

Mario Fiorin, Committee for the Support of Peace Forces and Initiatives

Mariuccia Faccini, former President of AVIP Committee Sant’Angelo di Piove

Francesco Mazzonetto, Archive’s curator

Leopoldo Marcolongo, former Mayor of San Giorgio in Bosco

Mariano Salmaso, former Mayor of Sant’Angelo di Piove

Dino Cavinato, former Mayor of Piazzola sul Brenta

Professors Pierpaolo Faggi of the University of Padova and Francesco Vallerani of Ca' Foscari University of Venezia will be present.

Coordinator: Milo Lucatello, Committee for the Support of Peace Forces and Initiatives

The Committee for the Support of Peace Forces and Initiatives was founded in Padova in the 1990s, in the context of the wars in the former Yugoslavia. It was formed at the instigation of local activists coordinated by Lucia Zanarella, inspired by the thought and nonviolent message of Alex Langer.
The Committee's main purpose was to deliver humanitarian aid, support anti-nationalist networks, and promote interposition and interethnic cooperation projects in the areas torn apart by the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia.
In December 1994, on the initiative of the Support Committee, 13 municipalities of the province, together with the Provincial Administration itself, established the Committee of Paduan Municipalities for Peace, in order to coordinate the area's solidarity efforts in a structured way.
The Committee developed cooperation projects to foster ties of solidarity and concrete twinning arrangements between the Province of Padova and Bosnian municipalities, working in synergy with other organizations in the Paduan area and spontaneous volunteer groups active in the Balkans.