National Union for the Fight Against Illiteracy

The National Union for the Fight Against Illiteracy (Unione nazionale per la lotta contro l'analfabetismo, UNLA) is an Italian association recognised by UNESCO. It was founded in 1947, in the aftermath of the Second World War, when the Italian government launched an intense campaign against illiteracy in southern Italy. A special law approved that year led the Ministry of Education to activate 11,000 public courses attended by 30,000 adults and young people; alongside this state action, private institutions emerged, and UNLA became one of the most important of them. UNLA was founded by a group of scholars, with Francesco Saverio Nitti as its first president. Its work was mainly carried out in southern Italy, but it spread literacy across the national territory through the Centri di Cultura Popolare (Popular Culture Centres). Today these are called Centri di cultura per l'educazione permanente (Culture Centres for Permanent Education); there are 50 throughout Italy, concentrated especially in the Mezzogiorno. The association's headquarters are in the heart of Rome, currently in Via Quattro Novembre at Palazzo Englefield. Under the presidency of Vitaliano Gemelli, UNLA mainly deals with the design and implementation of Special Projects. These are so called because they are characterised by a set of articulated initiatives around a common objective, with specific methodologies and means chosen carefully in relation to the aims and fields of action. The projects target the protection and recovery of territory and cultural heritage, the creation of libraries, refresher courses for school operators, and education and vocational training, especially in agriculture. UNLA has received moral and economic support from numerous national and international organisations. Its presidents since 1947 have included Francesco Saverio Nitti (1947–1952), Vincenzo Arangio-Ruiz (1952–1964), Anna Lorenzetto (1964–1971), Gennaro Cassini (1971–1974), Anna Lorenzetto again (1974–1981), Salvatore Valitutti (1981–1993), Saverio Avveduto (1993–2008), and Vitaliano Gemelli (2008–present). The organisation marked its 70th anniversary in 2017.

UNLA was founded in 1947, at the end of the Second World War, when the Italian government undertook an intense campaign against illiteracy in southern Italy. A special law approved that year led the Ministry of Education to activate 11,000 public courses attended by 30,000 adults and young people. This governmental action was paralleled by the creation of a series of private institutions, one of the most important of which was the Unione Nazionale per la Lotta all'Analfabetismo (UNLA). A group of scholars founded UNLA in 1947, and Francesco Saverio Nitti became its president. He was succeeded by the jurist Vincenzo Arangio-Ruiz, the mathematician Gennaro Cassiani, the pedagogue Anna Lorenzetto, the senator Salvatore Valitutti, and the university lecturer Saverio Avveduto. The current president is Vitaliano Gemelli. The Union's work to combat illiteracy aroused great interest. It obtained the moral and economic support of numerous national and international organisations. Although its work was carried out predominantly in southern Italy, UNLA spread literacy throughout the national territory through the Centri di Cultura Popolare. Those centres are today called Centri di cultura per l'educazione permanente; there are 50 throughout Italy, concentrated especially in the Mezzogiorno. UNLA is an Italian association recognised by UNESCO. Article 1 of its statute defines its purpose. Its headquarters are in the heart of Rome, currently in Via Quattro Novembre at Palazzo Englefield. Under the presidency of Vitaliano Gemelli, it mainly deals with the design and implementation of Special Projects, characterised by articulated initiatives around a common objective, with specific methodologies and means chosen in relation to the aims and fields of action. These projects target the protection and recovery of territory and cultural heritage, the creation of libraries, refresher courses for school operators, and education and vocational training, especially in agriculture. In 2017 the organisation celebrated its 70th anniversary.

• 2017

  UNLA celebrates its 70th anniversary.

• 2008

  Vitaliano Gemelli becomes president.

• 1993

  Saverio Avveduto becomes president.

• 1981

  Salvatore Valitutti becomes president.

• 1974

  Anna Lorenzetto returns as president.

• 1971

  Gennaro Cassini becomes president.

• 1964

  Anna Lorenzetto becomes president.

• 1952

  Vincenzo Arangio-Ruiz becomes president.

• 1947

  UNLA founded by a group of scholars; Francesco Saverio Nitti becomes first president.

• 1947

  Italian special law leads to 11,000 public literacy courses attended by 30,000 adults and young people.

A UNESCO-recognised Italian non-profit association dedicated to literacy and permanent education, operating through a national network of culture centres and special projects.

• Centri di cultura per l'educazione permanente

  50 culture centres throughout Italy, concentrated especially in the Mezzogiorno, formerly called Centri di Cultura Popolare.

• Special Projects (Progetti Speciali)

  Articulated initiatives around a common objective, targeting territory and cultural heritage protection, libraries, refresher courses, and vocational training in agriculture.

1. 1Lotta contro l'analfabetismo | Roma | Unlaunla.it
2. 2National Union for the Fight Against Illiteracywikidata.org
3. 3Unione nazionale per la lotta contro l'analfabetismoit.wikipedia.org