The Ministry for Education, University and Research at the Padua Human Rights Center, on the topic of "Citizenship and the Constitution" instruction

On 16 October 2009 the 'Citizenship and the Constitution' training subgroup of the MIUR (Ministry for Education, University and Research) gathered at the Human Rights Center of the University of Padua to further explore the theme of human rights education, in light of the preparation under way for a United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. The new section on 'Citizenship and the Constitution' was recently added to the Italian education system by the MIUR.

After a greeting by Professor Marco Mascia, the Center's Director, introductions were made by Professor Antonio Papisca, UNESCO Chair on Human Rights, Democracy and Peace, and Professor Roberto Vellano, First Counsellor on Human Rights Issues (to the Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva). Other speeches followed, given by Dr. Giacomo Dutto, General Director for the scholastic system of the MIUR, Dr. Onorato Grassi, Extraordinary Commissioner of ANSAS (Florence), Dr. Massimo Radiciotti, Director of ANSAS, and Professor Simonetta Fichelli, of the MIUR.

Italy, a member of the UN Human Rights Council, plays an active part in a 'platform' comprised of 6 other states (Costa Rica, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Morocco, The Philippines, Senegal) committed to guiding the process of elaboration for the aforementioned UN Declaration.

The members of the ministerial group unanimously agreed on the necessity that the content of the education on 'Citizenship and the Constitution' is defined according to the integrated approach of global education based on human rights, as indicated by the most recent documents of the United Nations, of UNESCO and of the Council of Europe.