Agesci opens its doors to LGBTQIA+ leaders, Piazzoni (Arcigay): "A historic turning point, finally an end to long-standing discrimination."“
Bologna, May 28, 2026 – Agesci, the largest Italian scout association, has approved a landmark document establishing its openness to LGBTQIA+ leaders. The text, approved by the association's board, establishes that "emotional orientation and gender identity cannot constitute exclusion criteria" for those wishing to serve as educators within the association.
“"We welcome this news with relief," says Gabriele Piazzoni, general secretary of Arcigay, "which puts an end to a long history of isolation and discrimination. For years, LGBTQIA+ people have been excluded, forced into hiding, and removed from an educational environment that should have shaped them in community and values. Finally, Agesci recognizes that sexual orientation and gender identity cannot be barriers to those who wish to educate, support, and grow alongside girls and boys. Our thoughts go out to all those who have been denied acceptance until now, and whose stories—often painful, marked by silence or exclusion—have served as the key to this breakthrough. We owe all those people a great deal of gratitude. It is thanks to them, their suffering, and their courage, that today we can ensure the well-being and growth, in the years to come, of so many young scouts. Today is an important day," concludes Piazzoni. "Not just for scouts, but for the entire country. Why such a widespread educational association and deeply rooted, it chooses inclusion and sends a clear signal: LGBTQIA+ people are not a problem, they are a resource. Even in educational services. Even in Christian communities.”.
