The Report outlines Italy’s commitment to safeguard minorities. The National Network of Schools with Minority Languages and special agreements with RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) to increase minority language media are among the initiatives in education, social inclusion, and cultural preservation that are detailed in the report. The Roma, Sinti, and Caminanti (RSC) minorities, who are not acknowledged by Italian legislation as national minorities, are a prominent emphasis. The Framework Convention allows states to determine which groups qualify as national minorities, and Italy has chosen to apply this designation only to historical linguistic minorities under Law No. 482/1999. Even though Italy has achieved strides in the area of minority rights, issues including discrimination, exclusion, and the lack of legal protections for RSC groups continue to be an important topic for future action.

Legal and Institutional Framework for Education, Social Inclusion, and Cultural Preservation

The Sixth State Report submitted to the Council of Europe (CoE) highlights the legal measures and the key policies and initiatives undertaken by Italy to promote social inclusion, cultural preservation, and education of the minority populations. It mentions Article 6 of the Italian Constitution and Law no. 482/1999 which implements Article 6 to highlight the strong legislative framework for the protection of the twelve recognised linguistic minorities. Law No. 38/2001 is also mentioned, that provides protection for the Slovene minority which expands the scope of linguistic rights. Although Italy has not yet ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the report notes that Italy is working to become a party to the Charter, with parliamentary committees reviewing the ratification measures. The report outlines the initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Merit to encourage minority language teaching in educational institutions in accordance with Resolution CM/Res CMN(2023)4, which urged Italy to make sure that adequate numbers of qualified teachers teaching minority languages are available; funding for minority language education is readily available and children's access to language instruction outside of conventional settlement regions should be increased. The Ministry has promoted the National Network of Schools with Minority Languages which in 2024 has more than 30 educational establishments and facilitates the creation of intercultural exchange initiatives, teacher training programs, and minority language curriculum.​

The report also sheds light on the efforts of the Ministry of Culture to help preserve minority culture through activities like funding, training, and preservation initiatives. It mentions efforts like the Single Performing Arts Fund (FUS) which provides operating expenses to theatres of linguistic minorities as per the July 2017 Decree titled: "Criteria and methods for the disbursement, advance payment, and settlement of contributions to live performances, covered by the Single Fund for the Performing Arts as per Law No. 163 of April 30, 1985." Additionally, the General Directorate of Education, Research, and Cultural Institutes’ contribution to the promotion of education on cultural heritage is mentioned in the report. Local cultural initiatives like bilingual publishing, language preservation classes, and community cultural gatherings shed light on the efforts to empower local communities and increase their awareness and engagement. Furthermore, the report highlights Italy's efforts by mentioning improved public broadcasting partnerships and special agreements with RAI to expand programming in minority languages, such as Sardinian, Slovene, and Friulian. The report also underlines the positive outcomes of the initiatives stating that the agreements have improved the multimedia, radio, and television programming devoted to minority languages by incorporating the minorities themselves in the process of defining the agreement's terms as well as in the tracking and validation of its outcomes.

Italy's initiatives to lessen statelessness among minority groups—especially among former Yugoslavian refugees and their descendants—are also covered in the report. It provides details of the funds Italy allocated to protect Slovene, Catalan, and Sardinian minorities in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sardinia Regions in 2022 and 2023. A total of €6,054,693 and  €4,200,333.89 were allotted in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Additionally, the Italian Parliament received six draft bills to strengthen protections for linguistic minorities, including plans to increase financing for cultural heritage and language instruction.​

Roma, Sinti, and Caminanti (RSC) Communities

The primary initiatives undertaken by the government to protect the rights of the Roma, Sinti and Caminanti communities are elaborated in the report. It mentions the ongoing programs in housing transition, social integration, and education, highlighting Italy's efforts to support the inclusion of the RSC groups. Among these is the National Strategy for Inclusion and Participation of RSC (2021–2030), which aligns with the Council of Europe's Recommendation (2021/C93/01). Housing, health, education, and employment are the four main pillars of the strategy, with a particular emphasis on combating anti-Gypsyism and promoting social inclusion. 

In order to ensure that schools actively promote diversity and prevent exclusion, the Ministry of Education and Merit has included the integration of Roma and Sinti students into a larger framework of intercultural education. The Ministry of Education’s document titled “Intercultural Orientations: Ideas and Proposals for the Integration of Pupils with a Migrant Background” broadens its scope beyond non-Italian nationals to include all students who contribute to the multicultural fabric of Italian schools. This inclusive approach gives special attention to international adoptees, unaccompanied minors, and "pupils belonging to Roma and Sinti groups".The report also mentions the European Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) Program (2021–2027) which provides €25 million for school education. The primary focus areas to boost integration, as mentioned in the report, are: early childhood education; language learning support; prevention of school dropouts, and enhancing schools in urban and socially complex areas. The report attests to the continuation of a significant educational initiative that was first introduced in 2013. 

The National Project for the Inclusion and Integration of RSC Children is supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies in collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Health, and the Istituto degli Innocenti, and is financed with €40 million from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). The project has been extended for 5 years from 2024 to 2029. The main aim of the initiative is to reduce school dropouts and improve access to education by all. According to the report, the inclusion project has six key modules: coordination activities; participatory networking and governance; school dropout prevention; after-school assistance; social activities and an optional meal program. The report offers statistical data to underline how the undertaken initiatives are yielding positive results. Only 29 schools took part in the project in 2013, according to the report, and 150 RSC students were enrolled. By 2023, there were 719 RSC students, 123 schools, and almost 8,000 kids participating overall. It also mentioned the improvement in school attendance records noting that the average attendance rate for students who have been in the National Project for more than five years is 75%. Additionally, the report also stated that more Roma and Sinti students are now pursuing higher education or vocational training.

In addition to schooling and educational initiatives, the report also sheds light on the  “housing transition” for Roma and Sinti families. The Ministry of Interior has carried out nationwide surveys to document and assess how relocating families to stable housing from settlements has impacted social inclusion aims. A two-phase survey that was completed in December 2023 by the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica and the National Anti-Racial Discrimination Office (UNAR) conducted 500 interviews with people from the RSC community who were moved into permanent housing. The report mentioned that the transition had a beneficial effect on social inclusion but access to services is still difficult.

The report also emphasises Italy’s efforts to combat and eliminate discrimination and prejudice against the RSC community. The UNAR has spearheaded some initiatives to contribute to this effort, such as the National Week for the promotion of romanì culture, a campaign launched  to raise awareness of the cultural contributions made by the community to Italy and Europe. It is scheduled from April 3 to April 10, 2024, keeping in mind the International Roma Day which is celebrated on 8 April every year. 

According to the report, statelessness has dramatically decreased in Italy, going from 15,000 in 2012 at the time of the inception of the National Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma, Sinti, and Caminanti (RSC) to an estimate of around 2,000 people in 2024. It has also been highlighted that Law No. 337/1968 on equestrian circuses and itinerant entertainment also needs revision to meet the cultural and economic requirements of the Roma and Sinti populations. 

Challenges and Ongoing Commitments

The report acknowledges the challenges that minorities continue to face in Italy. Some of the challenges mentioned in the report are: 

• The issue of ongoing statelessness among Roma communities, especially descendants of Yugoslavian refugees. The report sheds light on the fact that despite the number of stateless people having decreased, many RSC people still do not have the necessary paperwork, which makes it difficult for them to receive social services, education, and work prospects.
• According to the report, prejudice against Roma and Sinti groups is still pervasive, particularly in the areas of housing, work, and education. Their marginalisation is further exacerbated by negative preconceptions in the media and public conversation.
• Many Roma and Sinti families continue to live in segregated settlements which commonly lack basic amenities, sanitary facilities, and adequate infrastructure. Access to public housing programs has been limited and the switch to stable housing has remained slow.
• The report also states that UNAR has been effective in combating discrimination but it lacks complete autonomy and adequate legal powers to successfully implement anti-discrimination laws. 
• The lack of a distinct legislative framework for the national protection of the RSC populations is also highlighted in the report. Although anti-discrimination is the main focus of the current legislative framework, comprehensive programs do not adequately address socioeconomic inequality.

The report also elaborates on the ongoing commitments for the protection of national minorities by Italy and these commitments are shaped by recommendations like Resolution CM/ResCMN(2023)4. The report mentions that the RSC communities are not recognised as national minorities under any statutory framework, but it draws attention to the National Strategy for Inclusion and Participation (2021–2030), which addresses anti-Gypsyism while concentrating on housing, health, education, and employment. In order to evaluate the effects of relocating RSC families from settlements to secure homes, surveys are being carried out statewide as part of Italy's ongoing housing transition initiative. The report acknowledges the role played by UNAR in combating discrimination but highlights the challenges it faces in fulfilling its duties effectively. Italy has been advised by the Council of Europe to re-examine UNAR's mandate in order to improve its efficacy and independence. Through programs like the National Network of Schools with Minority Languages, the Ministry of Education and Merit continues to support minority language education. In order to increase the amount of television, radio, and digital content in Sardinian, Slovene, and Friulian, the government has extended its agreements with RAI. Although Italy has not yet signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, parliamentary committees are considering ratification proposals. Thus, the administration has shown that it is committed to advancing minority rights by stating its intention to do so clearly in the report.