"Libera. Associations, names and numbers against mafias", was born on 25 March1995 with the purpose of involving and supporting all those who are interested in the fight against mafias and organized crime. Libera is presently a network of more than 1,200 associations, groups and schools, committed to build up organizational synergies between the political and cultural local realities capable of promoting a culture of lawfulness. The law on the social use of the real estate confiscated from organized crime, the education on democratic lawfulness, the fight against corruption, the camps for antimafia education, the projects on work, development and anti-usury activities, are some of Libera's concrete commitments.

Libera School

Libera's formative/educational project engages thousands of students every year in activities that simulate the various practical experiences of social life, helping students develop the awareness that living in a environment in which legality pervades every aspect of their lives is worthwhile and by far the best choice.

Libera believes that the educational environment is essential for creating initiatives in defence of human rights and for denouncing the inequities caused by organized crime. So many years of field work together with teachers, schools and educators in general, in the most diverse areas and realities, have resulted in an awareness that in order to educate the young (of all ages) on democratic lawfulness and active citizenship, in this way widening their cultural prospects, it is necessary to take action at different levels.

The proposal of educational models of grassroots democracy, being on the alert for every sign of the presence of mafias and the various forms of illegality, a detailed analysis of the phenomenon of bullying and unlawful behaviour, the application of methodologies of research and survey, are only some of the courses of action that Libera has taken in the last years.

Libera has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Instruction, University and Research as an educational institute authorized to release qualification certificates, recognizable as "formative credits", on skills and knowledge acquired on issues such as education on a culture of lawfulness and active citizenship.

Info: educazionelegalita@libera.it

Libera Memory

It is the sharing of experience and the search for a common way to understand, to share the mourning and to transform it within everyday life, through a culture of "Us" and the importance of people - specifically, the relatives of Mafia victims. 21 March, the first day of spring, is the symbol of renewed hope, and has been moreover an occasion of meeting with relatives of the victims who in Libera have found the force to heal and rebound from their drama, incorporating their mourning in a search for true and deep justice, transforming the pain into a concrete, non-violent instrument of engagement and action for peace. One of our objectives is the creation of a database of mafia victims, in order to give back the right of their memory to those people which have been denied the right to live. To reconstruct the history of the victims, to associate to their names with a face, serves to acknowledge their individual significance, and the right to historical truth.

Info: memoria@libera.it

Libera University

Its purpose is to promote and coordinate initiatives of education on a culture of lawfulness within Italian universities. Based on the new university system which aims at the recognition of "formative credits" and to the central role played by the student throughout the whole course of studies, Libera has signed an agreement with the University of Turin with the goal of designing and monitoring a pilot experience to be proposed later on to other universities and/or faculties.

Info: universita@libera.it

Libera Confiscated Real Estate

It deals with the social use of the real estate confiscated from organized crime as established by Law 109/96, of which Libera was the promoter. The law provides for the allocation of illegal properties to social workers, volunteers, cooperatives, municipal governments, and anyone capable to return them to the community through their own work, turning the properties in tangible symbols of the restoration of lawfulness. In 9 years the law has allowed more than 2,200 real estate (worth € 250,000,000) to be assigned to social activities.

Info: beniconfiscati@libera.it

Libera Land

The fruit bore by the work on the lands confiscated from organized crime has led to the production of oil, pasta, wine and legumes and other organic products by cooperatives in Sicily, Calabria and Puglia, where mostly young people work; these products bear the brand "Libera Terra", symbol of quality and lawfulness. The Libera Land national office is in charge of designing and planning the re-use of the lands confiscated from organized crime.

Info: liberaterra@libera.it

Libera Sport

It implements and coordinates initiatives to promote a culture that considers sport both as a formative and leisure-time activity, making sport help young people realize their own capacities refusing the pursuit of victory at all costs and raising awareness about the use of performance enhancing drugs and other drugs, being it the most serious and definite defeat in sports.

Info: sport@libera.it

Libera International

It aims at coordinating all those civil society and NGOs realities that are committed to pursuing the objectives of justice, lawfulness and human rights defence at international level. Organized crime has spread all over the world long ago now; consequently, the fight against illegality must take place through an international network that needs to be set up as soon as possible. Trafficking in human beings, drugs trafficking, criminal organizations involved in industrial and toxic waste traffic, child labour exploitation, corruption and money laundering can only be fought against effectively through a worldwide network.
(Go to Libera International Network's Declaration of Commitments)

Info: international@libera.it - Tel: +39 06 69770322 - 24

Libera Appointments

21 March is the Day of Memory and Commitment in support of all mafias victims. Every year on this date Libera remembers all mafias victims and renews the commitment to building peace and social justice.

The Antimafias Caravan, promoted by LIBERA, ARCI and Avviso Pubblico, visits dozens of cities in Italy and around the world from September to December every year, promoting discussions, public initiatives, and education on a culture of lawfulness and social justice.

The Run for Peace and Rights, promotes freedom, rights and social commitment through sports in Italy and in some of the poorest countries in the world (Kenya, Argentina, Ivory Coast).

Last but not least, the formative and informative workshops made both at local and national level give us the chance to make an in-depth study of issues such as the fight against mafias and the educational activities set out to promote a culture of lawfulness. These discussions are led by experts on various fields such as: confiscated real estate, use of performance enhancing drugs, trafficking in human beings, education on a culture of lawfulness, criminal organizations involved in industrial and toxic waste traffic ("eco-mafia"), etc.

Libera Tools

Libera Scuola is a publication born with the aim of giving an organic unity to the numerous experiences that we have lived within the education on a culture of lawfulness environment, through the involvement of schools and the work in co-operation with institutions, associations and individuals. The publication aims at being a common frame of reference for the formative activity at schools and the teachers' day-to-day educational work.

The data bank is an archive of projects concerning the education on a culture of lawfulness carried out by schools and associations; the data bank is active in the region of Tuscany.

Macramè is a communication program set up by Gruppo Abele in collaboration with Libera. It consists of a website and a forum at schools with the aim of discussing and analyzing issues such as human rights, active citizenship, lawfulness and justice, together with the students, teachers, educators, social workers, entertainment organizers and volunteers.
Info: macrame@gruppoabele.org

Narcomafie, a monthly magazine published by Gruppo Abele, analyzes and collects information on organized crime, usury, money laundering, corruption, drug trafficking, human beings trafficking, and geopolitics. The purpose of this magazine is to inform on the phenomenon of organized crime, denouncing its consequences at social level.
Info: redazione@narcomafie.it


CONTACT US

Head office:
Via IV Novembre 98 - 00187 Rome.
Tel: +39 06 69770301/02/03
Fax: +39 06 6783559
libera@libera.it
www.libera.it