My organisation Omphalos Arcigay Arcilesbica works with local and regional Institutions since 1992 and during this 23 years, we achieved many important goals like the creation of a Register for Common-law Couples (Perugia and many Commons in our Region were some of the first commons in Italy to approve it, and then the Region took the institution of the Register as a priority and adopted it itself).
Our work with Institutions started from the very beginning, building a strong relation with one of the candidates running for the election of Major of Perugia. Before the election we made a strong statement together with the potential Major, making him Honorary Founder of the Association.
When elected, we gained much more visibility a way more possibilities of influence and public awareness: the Association started a large number of activities in collaboration with institutions.
The hard work in pushing the Regional Institution and the President during the election guaranteed us the approving of an article against discrimination inside the Regional Statute.
The important public events and activities to raise awareness on LGBTI issues had an important impact on our local Institutions, which were convinced to publicly and economically support our first Perugia Pride Village in 2013.
When in 2014 the local administration switched to a slightly homophobic right-wing party and Major, the public opinion and the presence of our Association were so strong to prevent the jurisdiction to make possible step backwards in Perugia, though a very discriminatory motion on the Celebration of Traditional Family was approved in Assisi by a large majority of clerical Counsellors. Our intervention lead to the public apologies of Assisi's Major and to a great event organized by Omphalos Arcigay Arcilesbica in the most known square of Assisi during Saint Valentine's Day, called "Out-of-law lovers".
The Perugia Pride Village experience grew and in2015, for its 3rd edition, it was even a bigger success, since the Administration still granted us an economic support thanks to a constant lobbying work.
The key role in the success and growth of our Association in the last 5 years was the creation of a strong Youth Group, a focus group to raise activist from 16 to 28 years old. The group gave new energy and point of views to the organisation, creating new events like the Perugia Pride Village and others, always improving a net with other external Associations. The main aim of the Youth Group was to create a connection with all the Association working on young people issues, and through the years Omphalos Youth Group achieved in making the issues of Omphalos Arcigay Arcilesbica also issues of other strong Associations on a local and regional levels, creating a solid group that collaborates to reach its goals.
Our Association is now part of a large number of local nets like Youth Regional Forum and collaborates effectively with UDU, Rete degli Studenti Medi, Liberamente Donna, Rav - Rete antiviolenza sulle donne and other association that have now included the LGBTI issues in their Statutes.
We could say that making connections has been the most important step to take against ignorance, discrimination and social oppression.
And making a revolution start from the people, especially from the young, was the most successful means towards a society that could be respectful of each difference, in a Country where we can no longer expect good things coming from the Institutions.