Saturday 18 October, on the occasion of the UN World Day to Fight PovertyPiazza Sant’Eustorgio in Milan will become the beating heart of 25th edition of “The Night of the Homeless”, an event organized by the association Together in the middle lands in collaboration with over 20 entities from the city’s third sector. The initiative, which takes place every year to raise awareness and involve the community on the topic of marginalization and social inclusion, this year will be dedicated to concept of “living”, a right that in Italy remains denied to tens of thousands of people.
A party for everyone: with and without a home
The Night of the Homeless is not just a moment of reflection, but a real one collective celebration which unites homeless and homeless people, volunteers, associations and institutions. Among the institutional presences, Lamberto Bertolécouncilor for Welfare and Health of the Municipality of Milan, which underlines the importance of initiatives that promote social cohesion and support for the most vulnerable sections of the population.
The event will begin at 4pm and will continue until late in the evening, offering a rich calendar of activities:
- Board games edited by FARO Games and the Deck of “Living” cards of the Teatro 21 APS, to explore the meaning of “home” through words and images.
- Creative workshops with Knitting to make gloves, hats and blankets.
- Collective baking: at 5.30pm100 stations for kneading your own bread, cooked and distributed in the square.
- Dinner for everyone: at 20, 250 servings including lasagne, polenta, pizzas, desserts and fruit, prepared by associations such as Arca Project, City Angels, Ronda Charity and Solidarity.
- Music and art: come on 19prizes for street artists and concerts with Mitoka Samba, Marina Madreperla and Spit.
- Collection of hygiene products: MIA-Milan in Action will coordinate the collection of soaps, shampoos, sanitary napkins and other basic necessities.
A sharing experience: sleeping outdoors
For those who want to live an experience of concrete proximityit will be possible to spend the night outdoors in one protected space set up for the occasion.
The homeless in Italy: numbers, causes and challenges
According to the most recent data from fio.PSD (Italian Federation of Organizations for Homeless People)the phenomenon of homelessness in Italy is complex, dynamic and growing. The latest Istat investigations, conducted in collaboration with fio.PSD, Caritas Italiana and the Ministry of Labour, reveal that in In 2022, 27,877 homeless people were encountered in listening centers, equal to 16.9% of the total number of people in extreme poverty. Of these, the 70.6% is of the male gender, the 68.5% foreigner, and the 47.8% declares that he is completely homeless.
Who are the homeless?
- Medium profile: men (85.7%), average age 44 years oldfor the 40% Italians, for the 60% migrants (coming from Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, Romania).
- Time on the street: 4 out of 10 they live down the street from more than 4 years.
- Income: The 62% has a monthly income between 100 and 499 eurosoften from informal work; The 30% lives by expedients or collections; only the 3% receives public subsidies.
- Health and vulnerability: The 14% is unable to respond to an interview due to disabilities, addictions, or language barriers.
The causes of homelessness are multifactorial:
- Biographical factors: loss of job, housing, breakdown of family relationships, bereavement, forced migration, detention.
- Contextual factors: economic crisis, job insecurity, transformation of cities, limited access to education and health.
- Psychological factors: mental illnesses, addictions, violence, extreme poverty.
An invisible massacre
In the 2024according to the fio.PSD report, 434 homeless people died on the streetsa growing figure compared to previous years. The life expectancy for those living on the streets is less than 20-30 years compared to the national average, due to untreated diseases, violence, exposure to atmospheric agents and social isolation.
In Italy, according to the Istat census 2021homeless or homeless people registered in the registry are 96,197out of a total of 500,000 people in conditions of severe housing exclusion. While in Europe, homeless people are estimated to be 700,000with a 70% increase in the last ten years.
The response of associations and institutions
There Night of the homeless is just one of the initiatives promoted by fio.PSD and by the realities of the Third Sector to counter the phenomenon. Among the concrete actions:
- Reception network: day centres, dormitories, canteens, toilets and health services.
- Reintegration projects: training, work support, psychological support.
- Advocacy and awareness raising: campaigns for the right to residence, healthcare and social inclusion.
The event is free and open to all. For information: lanottedeisenzadimora.org. To discover the other cities involved: fiopsd.org/notte-dei-senza-dimora-2025.
