XL, l'house organ di OPES anno 1, n°7, numero doppio agosto | settembre 2019 | Page 40

ENGLISH VERSION
CIVIL SERVICE
Civil Service: a history of active
citizenship and freedom!
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Few days ago, the Department for Youth Policies
announced the launch of a call for the selection of
39.646 volunteers between 18 and 28 years old. Again
next year, many young people will have the opportunity
to join projects, in the fields of assistance, sports, cultural
promotion, fighting mafias, the promotion of citizens’ rights
and more. Even with this high number, it is always important
to remember the story of the Civil Service, which is the
result of years of battles. Its evolution, culminated with
the Legislative Decree n. 40 of 2017 which establishes the
current Universal Civil Service, constitutes a worldwide
“unicum”, which makes us proud. In 1972, the first law
recognizing the conscientious objection was approved.
Following a wide debate involving writers, historians,
intellectuals, priests and educators (among which: Don
Lorenzo Milani, Aldo Capitini and Pietro Pinna), and a
growing public interest, the Italian Government approved
the law n. 772 which established the right to objection
according to moral, religious and philosophical reasons
and established the civil service, replacing the military
(mandatory) service.
It was a historical event!
From that moment, the road to recognize equity in utility
and dignity between the Civil Service and the Military
Service was an uphill climb. Hard was also to obtain the
recognition of conscientious objection as a subjective
right of every citizen instead of a concession. It took many
more years to see the establishment of the National Civil
Service Council and the birth of the National Office of
Civil Service entrusted to the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers and no longer to the Ministry of Defense (1998).
Finally, the battle for the suspension of compulsory
conscription became a reality only in 2000 with the Law
n. 331, coming into effect from the 1st January 2005.
With the Law n. 64 of 2001, the National Civil Service
was born as we learned about it: a voluntary service
involving all those young people, both men and women,
who intend to undertake a path of social, civic, cultural
and professional training through human experience of
social solidarity, national and international cooperation
activities, safeguarding and protecting the national
heritage.
Today, there are over 4.000 organizations of the Third
Sector committed implementing projects of civil
commitment and active citizenship. They keep this system
alive and welcome thousands of volunteers every year.
OPES, sharing the spirit and principles of this important
institutional tool, is doing its part by designing, managing
and monitoring all the active volunteers in their offices.
Also this year, 198 places for volunteers are available in
Italy and 18 places for volunteers are available abroad on
projects to be carried out in the cities of Ljubljana, Valencia,
Faro, Brussels and Cape Town. OPES is going on with the
passion and enthusiasm that has always characterized our
organization, with many new projects. Moreover, as Don
Milani would say “What is the purpose of of having clean
hands if they are kept in your pocket?”.