Arcigay was founded in 1985 and is Italy's foremost national gay rights organisation. In 2005 its membership exceeded 160,000.

It acts as un umbrella organization for 106 (42 political and 64 recreational) local centres, throughout 45 provinces in Italy, from Bolzano in the north to Catania in the south.

You can see the full list of political/cultural centres on the web at www.arcigay.it/local. For a full directory of recreational centres (including bars, discos, saunas and other centres) go to www.arcigay.it/ricreativi. Arcigay has its national headquarters in Bologna, in Via Don Minzoni, 18.

Arcigay is a non-profit organisation which operates on a voluntary basis. Its aim is to combat homophobia, heterosexism, prejudice and anti-gay discrimination. It is committed to achieving equal status and equal opportunities among all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, and aims to reinforce a full, free and happy life for gay people.

Arcigay pursues these aims by setting up social initiatives and welfare services, and promoting the visibility of gay people in society.

Arcigay fights to eliminate discrimination, to defend gay people's right to physical and psychological health, and to win legal recognition for same-sex partnerships.

It operates alongside other civil rights movements, dialogues with institutions, political parties and trade unions, and defend individual and collective civil liberties in society as a whole.

From the outset Arcigay has worked together with the Italian Ministry of Health and the ‘Superior Institute for Health’, organising prevention and awareness campaigns against Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases, including training courses, autonomous advisory services, telephone helplines, street campaigns and research projects. It is a member of the Health Ministry’s Council of Associations against Aids.

Arcigay is also active in the field of culture and information. It offers training courses for social workers and health counsellors, as well as school staff, also working together with student unions, and associations for teachers and parents of gay people. Since 1999, our training courses for secondary school teachers on sexual orientation have been recognised by the Italian Ministry of Education.

Arcigay is a member of the Forum for Youth Associations promoted by the Ministry for Social Policy.

Arcigay is involved in various european projects in the fight against discrimination, based on Article 13 of the European Union Treaty. It is a member of Ilga, the International Gay and Lesbian Association.
Becoming a member of Arcigay is easy: you can join at any of our member centres (political or recreational) throughout Italy. All you will need is a valid identity document (driving licence, identity card, passport). All personal data are protected by the Italian privacy law.

The Arcigay card costs 14 Euro and is valid for one year. The membership system provides vital finances for Arcigay’s political, cultural and recreational activities, promoting equal rights and quality of life for gay people.

Arcigay - The Italian Gay Association
www.arcigay.it - info@arcigay.it
Bologna - Via Don Minzoni 18
Tel 051/6493055 - Fax 051/5282226