On the occasion of the World Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia which will be on May 17th, the Gay Center, together with Arcigay, Lesbian Difference e Trans Action, organized a meeting to reiterate the importance of support services for the LGBT+ community.
Marina Marini, Coordinator Network Refuge LGBT+, of Gay Center, said:
“We thank the Mayor and all of you for being here at this event organised on the occasion of the upcoming initiatives of the May 17, International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbianphobia, and Transphobia, in which we wish to reiterate the importance of services for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The association Gay Center, together with other partner associations Arcigay, Difference between Lesbian and Trans Action, has activated its own thanks to the Municipality of Rome in 2005 the National Gay Help Line Contact Center 800 713 713, which in 2026 will be 20 years old, and which has responded to since the beginning of the service over 350 thousand contacts, with a average of around 20 thousand per year in the last five years.
The service of the Gay Help Line has always been guaranteed over the years, thanks to the support of volunteers and institutions that have supported us, such as the’Unar (National Anti-Racial Office of the Ministry of Equal Opportunities), the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Rome, and the’Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute thanks to the funds 8×1000 and others public entities, the Waldensian Church, and private individuals.
I proudly recall that we are still the official Contact Center of the Municipality of Rome.”
In response to requests for help from young people and very young people LGBTQAI+, In the 2012 the project has been started LGBT+ Refuge, in collaboration with the French network The Refuge. Thanks to this initiative, over 140 users in three structures, with a cohousing in Municipio 1 of Rome. The project made history, being the first facility in Italy to welcome minors entrusted directly by the courts into a facility LGBT+.
Furthermore, Refuge LGBT+ has welcomed, for the first time in Italy, minors entrusted to us directly by the courts.
Tamiko Kaneda, Secretary General of the’Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute,
“On the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, we express our solidarity with all LGBTQIA+ people who are victims of discrimination and violence.
As the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, we believe in the dignity of every human being and are committed to a society founded on respect, inclusion, and peace. For this reason, we are proud to support the Gay Center's projects through our 8×1000 tax return.
We will continue to do our part to ensure that no one is left alone and every identity is welcomed with respect.”
He then took the floor Gianluca Lanzi, President of the Municipality 11 of Rome, underlining the collaboration with the Gay Center in several initiatives, including a recent campaign at schools, sports centres and pharmacies in the Municipality for Gay Help Line.
The event received greetings from Erica Battaglia, President of the Culture Commission of the Municipality of Rome, who founded the Refuge LGBT+ project with us.
“Our administration's commitment to supporting organizations like this is and remains constant. This facility is essential because, thanks to the invaluable work of its specialized staff, it is a point of reference, a place of welcome, refuge, and defense for all those who, unfortunately, are still victims of homosexual, lesbian, transphobic, and transphobic violence and discrimination. This phenomenon remains deeply troubling and characterized by an undetected population, which we address in part thanks to the valuable contribution of the network of local LGBT+ help desks in the municipalities.
Those of us who govern the city have a duty to provide concrete answers and tools for assistance, not just words we use to condemn incidents of discrimination, which, while valuable, are not enough on their own.".
This is stated by Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri.
Marilena Grassadonia, LGBT rights office of the Municipality of Rome, was also present at the event.