The protocol was signed on the morning of 27 March by the Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio, involving four ministries (Interior, Education, University and Research and Family), the Italian Bishops' Conference and some associations, with the Fonte d 'Ismaele, the non-profit Salesians for Social, the Elis Centre, the Cometa association, and the San Gennaro Community Foundation, which joined Libera, which started the project, in Reggio Calabria, with the juvenile judge Roberto di Bella, now in Catania.
New judicial offices are involved in the protocol: Catania, Palermo and Naples are added to that of Reggio Calabria. In a meeting at Palazzo Giustiniani, the founder of Libera, Fr Luigi Ciotti, told of a meeting held in secret between the mothers who joined the project and Pope Francis.
"I encourage and bless you, you are not alone" the Pope said on that occasion, Fr Ciotti revealed yesterday: "The renewal of the protocol is good, but now we need the facts." "Removing the children of mafiosi from the family context by providing them with education and legality is fundamental" said Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. "This protocol touches on a fundamental element, the breaking of the mafia-family circuit," added Matteo Piantedosi (Interior).
Now, however, "a legislative framework is needed", said Senator Enza Rando, coordinator of the Committee "Culture of legality and protection of minors", who promoted yesterday's meeting, which was attended, among others, by Judge Di Bella and Undersecretary of Justice Andrea Ostellari, who personally undertook, for the Italian government, to make this project a state law as soon as possible.
Angela Picariello
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