#nooneisillegal

Living in the US and reading news about the changing European political landscape, it’s hard not to become disheartened. The only narrative successfully crossing the Atlantic details the rise of the far-right, increasing securitization and racism, and the closing of borders. But in Italy last month I was pleasantly surprised to see how civil society actors and artists have mobilized to counteract these trends, revealing a steadfast opposition that’s perhaps not news-worthy but still very visible. 

The first photo above is of a public art installation in the town of Bolzano in Italy’s South Tyrol region. Bolzano has dealt with diversity and accommodation issues for over sixty years as a result of its German-speaking population–the region was once part of Austria–and it now faces the issue of accommodating new minority groups that have arrived through immigration and counteracting racial and Islamophobic discrimination. The installation contrasts the hijab worn by Muslim women with the veils worn by Catholic nuns, revealing that religious head garb may not be as foreign a concept as its made out to be by conservative Italian factions.

The next five photos are from a pro-diversity march in Milan on May 20th, where the city’s multiculturalism was on full display. Immigrant associations came out in in traditional dress, recent refugees from Syria proudly displayed the Syrian opposition flag, and different Italian civil society groups participated to show their solidarity.