The Minister of Labour and Social Policies Maurizio Sacconi visits the NIHMP

On 21 July 2010, the National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty - NIHMP was pleased to receive the visit of Maurizio Sacconi, Minister of Labour and Social Policies, Raffaele Bonanni, secretary of the Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions (CISL) and Natale Forlani, Director General of the Immigration Department of the Minister of Labour and Social Policies.
Guided by Prof. Aldo Morrone, they visited the NIHMP seat and met doctors, nurses and people staying in outpatient department. The visit ended in the historical Conference Hall of the Institute, where Prof. Morrone explained to his guests and the numerous people attending the event the medical and scientific activities carried out by the NIHMP at the national and international levels.
“Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude for having the opportunity to directly know this Institute - said Minister Sacconi - a centre of excellence which has the requisites to become the centre of an operating network at the national and international level. I consider it necessary for regional health care systems to adopt an approach merging medical, social and welfare competencies and to manage in an efficient and effective way the available technologies, resources and professionals. This approach, adopted by the NIHMP, focuses on the importance of relations and of taking care of people including all the aspects of their life. Person and appropriateness are the key words for determining the efficacy of a health system. The power of the NIHMP also resides in its capacity to deal with poverty by considering not only its economical aspects but also the social ones and to set up a direct relationship with people. Similar experiences should be focal points in the diffusion of the “gift culture”, based on self-donation and on the donation of goods. An example of this culture is represented by the numerous operators taking care of people even on a voluntary basis. The NIHMP - added the Minister - represents a positive example at the regional level and I believe that it can legitimately aspire to become a Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalisation and Treatment (IRCCS)”.
Minister Sacconi also presented the Plan for social integration and safety “Identity and contact”, which represents the government strategy for the foreigners’ integration, in close relation with the Integration Agreement provided by the “Security Package”. Today, foreigners in Italy represent 8% of the total population and the number of minors belonging to the so-called “second generations” is increasing. The changes induced by migration represent an opportunity and a challenge to set up integration strategies and support systems aimed at favouring the return of migrants to their native countries. Identity, contact and education are the basis of the Italian integration model, where identity is conceived as open and the barriers created by ideologies have been overcome, by favouring a real and fruitful contact between people, based on sympathy and respect for difference. The plan - stated the Minister - proposes an integration model that goes beyond arrogant assimilationism and indifferent multiculturalism by promoting curiosity and openness towards the others.
The integration process is based on five principles: education and learning of language and values, labour integration, housing and local government, access to social, health care and welfare services, protection of minors and second generations. To be effective, the Plan should make successful local experiences repeatable at the national level. Among them, the Minister underlined the NIHMP experience: “It is a public and common interest to develop and diffuse the potential of this Institute on the territory. Italy has the necessary experience and knowledge to learn Europe how to combine safety and integration”.
Raffaele Bonanni, CISL secretary, expressed his appreciation for the NIHMP work, by saying: “Places like this one give hope to who fights for the integration of foreigners on the economical, social and political fields. We will work hard to reinforce the relationship and the collaboration between our Union and the NIHMP. Natale Forlani, Director General of the Immigration Department concluded the meeting.

Speech of Minister Maurizio Sacconi - SHOW THE VIDEOS

Speech of Minister Maurizio Sacconi - First part

Speech of Minister Maurizio Sacconi - Second part

PHOTO GALLERY OF THE EVENT

Minister Sacconi visits the NIHMP - Show the Photo Gallery of the event