Do you want to help us?

Arcigay Membership

To become a member of the organization, you must obtain a membership card. Becoming a member of Arcigay is a concrete sign of your support.

Become a volunteer

If you have the desire and time to contribute to the life of the organization as a volunteer, first of all we want to say: welcome!

5×1000 to our organization

To support the activities of the organization we need both human help and economic contributions.

About us

We are CIG (Centro di Iniziativa Gay) Arcigay Milano Onlus, a volunteer organization that has been promoting political activities, cultural projects and services around the LGBTQIA+ community in and out of Milan since 1984. In 1985 we helped found Arcigay.

We are a non-profit, secular, and democratic organization, made up of people who are committed to the affirmation of individual freedoms, so that the civil rights of everyone are recognized, promoted and guaranteed without any discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity; and for the right to a serene development of personal identity, to a full and satisfactory life for every citizen. We have the spirit of a community and are structured in Divisions, Groups and Committees to promote services, carry out activities, build projects and spaces to meet, fight for our rights and grow. Today we have more than 400 volunteers.

volontari del cig davanti alla sede dell'arcigay milano

CIG is the Arcigay territorial committee of Milan and the Metropolitan City and of the entire province of Monza and Brianza. We are part of the Rainbow Coordination of LGBT+ Associations in Milan, the Milanese Council for the Laicity of Institutions, the Milan Roundtable Against AIDS, Corda, the anti-discrimination network of UNAR, Ilga Europe and Epoa.

Divisions, groups and committees

We are structured in Divisions, Groups and Committees. The Divisions are responsible for guaranteeing the key services for the community; the Groups are focused on specific audiences, with identity requests; the Committees are dedicated to individual projects of a certain relevance. Below is a list of the Divisions, Groups and Committees of the organization, with some information and ways to get in touch and get to know them better.

Divisions

Welcoming and Helpline Division

These two divisions take care of and develop the welcoming and helpline services of the organization thanks to the Pronto helpline, which can be reached at 02 541 222 27 – on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings between 8 and 11 p.m., or through the latest digital tools, such as social media channels (Instagram Direct, Facebook Messenger), messaging apps (Telegram – which guarantees a form of anonymity) and emails (mailamica@arcigaymilano.org). They also take care of the welcoming initiatives at headquarters every Sunday afternoon (3:30-7p.m.), stands and socialization activities. The Pronto team also takes care of access to legal assistance [LINK] for victims of homo-transphobic violence.

Library Division

The Division is responsible for the Omologie Documentation Centre (CDO) which, since 1989, has been responsible for the collection, storage and dissemination of LGBTQIA+ documents whether in paper, magnetic, electronic or digital form, both in Italian and foreign languages, at the CIG Arcigay Milano. The collection includes books, comics, DVD videos, magazines, posters, flyers, newspaper articles, audio books, manuscripts and theses: a heritage of community. The working group is open to advice on new purchases and possible donations of themed material.

Culture Division

The Division is made up of people interested in exploring social and cultural issues related to the LGBTQIA+ community. There is a meeting every Wednesday evening at the headquarters of the CIG. We meet, talk about events that happened, have a drink, sometimes watch a movie, and discuss. Discuss what? Everything. Us. Our lives. Our expectations in life. Our desires for life. This society. Our family, and the problems our family gives us. We talk about ideas on how to solve problems, or reduce them. We talk about our loves, desires, dreams. We get rid of that burden of lack of communication that often forces us to keep our whole life and existence, inside ourselves. We dedicate Wednesdays to the truest part of ourselves.

Health Division

The section aims at preserving the psychophysical health, well-being and sexual health of LGBTQIA+ people with particular attention to STIs (Sexually Transmissible Infections), through the dissemination of information and health care (for example condoms) both inside and outside the organization. It promotes access to HIV and Syphilis testing and the PreP helpdesk as a barrier to the spread of infections, and works to welcome HIV+ people and break down the stigma against them, which is still widespread. For the calendar of free tests follow the updates on social media channels.

School Division

Founded in 1994, the Section runs free meetings and educational projects in schools in the city of Milan and its province. These activities offer children and teachers – more than 2000 each year – the possibility of discussing issues such as sexual identity, discrimination and bullying in an informal atmosphere, thus contributing to awareness of stereotypes and prejudices and respect for diversity. The section also deals with the training of adults who work with children and young adults, such as teachers, educators, school staff and parents.

Groups

Women’s Group

The Women’s Group was created by women for women, in all their nuances. A space for growth, discussion and in-depth study of intersectional feminist themes and practices, the Group offers activities and events every second and fourth Sunday of the month.

Youth Group

Those between the ages of 16 and 28 can take part in the activities promoted by the Youth Group, a place in which to meet, and be who you are, with pride. It is an inclusive safe space for all people belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community who want to take part in an intersectional and feminist activism or who simply want to exchange views with their peers on the issues that concern them. The Group meets weekly on Saturday afternoon.

IO Group - Migrants

Born in the wake of MIGRA.GLB [LINK] and initiated thanks to QUBA [LINK], the Group offers the possibility of exchanging information, experiences and materials on LGBTQIA+ migrants, and wants to: introduce the theme of interculture in the LGBTQIA+ movement and that of sexual orientation in the context of those who deal with migration; reduce racism in the LGBTQ+ community and homophobia among those who migrate to our country; give technical help to those migrants with whom they come into contact through local associations. In the course of 2019 alone we welcomed 150 people, obtaining 32 international protections.

Asexuality Group

Active since 2015, the Group has the explicit intention of giving visibility to the issue of asexuality – the orientation of those who do not feel sexual attraction – in a socio-cultural context that often denies this identity. It is a safe space through which the asexual community can meet and initiate projects and collaborations to expand knowledge on the subject in a correct and complete way. It organizes social meetings and specific information and education activities on the subject, in collaboration with other groups present on the national territory.

Deaf LGBT+ Group - Lombardy

Born in 2016, the Group wants to allow LGBT+ deaf people in Lombardy to always be included in the activities organised by hearing people, in order to grow together and defeat all forms of discrimination related to hearing impairment, sexual orientation or gender identity. It organises projects and awareness-raising courses on LIS (Italian Sign Language) and on the culture of deaf people.

Ulissa Group

Ulissa promotes moments of socialization and fun among members, sympathizers and friends of the CIG Arcigay Milano through activities, on a monthly basis, that take place in Milan or in locations easily accessible by everyone. For example, visits to exhibitions and museums, dinners or lunches in typical restaurants, trips and excursions during the weekend. We work to make the initiatives as accessible and engaging as possible.

Work Group

The Group was created with different purposes: to offer support to people discriminated against in the workplace, including through trade unions, with particular reference to minorities, women and young people; to promote and hold thematic conferences; to encourage the formation of a network of LGBTQIA+ friendly companies that are available to collaborate in CIG activities; to enter into agreements with trade unions to raise awareness among their officials on LGBTQIA+ issues and to receive any reports from them.

Committees

Pride Committee

The Committee plans and manages, in collaboration with the organizations of the Rainbow Coordination, the work for Milano Pride. It involves dozens of volunteers who work every year for long months to build the schedule of events, the parade and the stage of the Pride in June, which in recent years has come to have 300,000 participants on its main parade day. The Committee’s activities are divided by area: sponsors, events, communication, parade, stage, conventions, Eco Pride, accessibility and others. To join the team, write to volontari@milanopride.it.

Headquarters Committee

The committee takes care of the present CIG location and works towards the future of the CIG. The current spaces are no longer sufficient for the needs and potential of the organization and a working group has therefore been set up to explore new opportunities and grow our community.

Organizational chart and Board

In addition to Divisions, Groups, and Committees, what are the other key components of the organization? What is the Board and how does it work?

Below, a glossary to understand more.

Assembly of members

The Assembly of members is the highest decision-making body of the organizations. Participants are all members of the CIG in good standing with a valid membership card. It meets at least twice a year, by the end of April for the approval of the final budget for the preceding calendar year, and by the end of November for the approval of the budget for the following calendar year. Every two years, the November Assembly elects the Assembly Delegates to the Board. Every three years it elects the guaranteeing bodies of the organization: Board of Auditors and Board of Statutory Auditors.

Board

The Board represents the governing, political and executive body of the organization. It remains in office for two years. It meets at least once every two months (link to minutes of the meetings [LINK]) and is composed of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Representatives of the Divisions and the Assembly Delegates. The representatives of the Divisions and the Assembòy Delegates are in equal numbers. The Assembly of members,, as the place of election of the members of the Boards, resolves on the number of active Divisions in the organization, which in turn determines the number of Delegates to be elected; the Assembly also votes on its members. The President, Vice-President and Treasurer are instead appointed directly by the Board, in the first session.

The current Board members are (since December 2020):

Alessio Baù – Elected member of the Board,

Andrés Gallucci – Representative of the Health Division,

Giacomo Colombo – Secretary and Elected member of the Board

Diego Deserti – Representative of the Library Division,

Simona Dominicoli – Representative of the Telephone Helpline Division,

Simone Lopriore – Treasurer and Representative of the Welcoming Division,

Roberto Muzzetta – Vice-President and Elected member of the Board,

Damiano Papagna – Elected member of the Board

Fabio Pellegatta – President and Representative of the Culture Division,

Elisabetta Realini – Elected member of the Board,

Alice Redaelli – Representative of the School Division,

Pietro Vito Spina – Elected member of the Board

The meetings of the Board are always open to members of the organization. The meetings are periodically reported in the News and Projects  section of the site.

President and Vice-Presidente

The President is the legal representative of the organization, responsible for the proper functioning of the organization and its activities. He represents the organization towards the outside world, towards the media and institutions, and is the political manager of the organization, on the mandate of the Board whose resolutions he implements. The Vice-President, elected together with the President, replaces him in all respects in his absence or when delegated by him, and definitively replaces the President in the event of vacancy of office.

Treasurer

Appointed by the Board in the first session, he is the economic and financial manager of the organization. The treasurer manages the cash and bank operations, and in agreement with the President implements the resolutions of the Board that have an economic impact for the organization. The treasurer acts in the name and on behalf of the President autonomously up to a threshold established by the Board in the first session. The treasurer draws up the budget and balance sheet in agreement with the President and authorises the expenses after verifying their suitability and coverage.

Board of statutory auditors

It verifies the accounting records, the compilation and the drafting of the final financial statements of the organization. It is composed of three members elected by the Assembly of members. It sends its opinion on the financial statements and economic situation of the organization to the Assembly of members for approval. The Auditors have full access to funds, the support accounts of the organization, and the economic and financial documentation, and can be summoned for specific issues by the Board  and/or by the members.

Disciplinary committee

It is composed of three members elected by the Assembly of members. It is the guaranteeing body responsible for settling disputes that may arise between members within the organization in the performance of activities; at the request of the members, the Board verifies compliance with the statute of the resolutions taken by the governing bodies of the organization; verifies the suitability and correctness of the proposals for amendments to the Statute submitted to the Assembly of members.

Statute

The statute is the document that outlines the nature of and rules the life of the organization.

You can read it here

Documents and downloads

Institutional documents

Consulta 2024 reports

Consulta 2022 reports

Congress 2016 reports

Congress 2014 reports

Consulta 2009 reports

Consulta 2008 reports

Some stories

Simona

"C'è ancora molto da fare perché la nostra società diventi inclusiva e rispettosa dei diritti di tuttə". Domande e risposte con Simona, volontaria di Pronto e del Milano Pride

→  read the story

Andrés

"Vorrei abbattere barriere o pregiudizi legati alla sessualità e dissolvere quel senso di vergogna che talvolta accompagna certi temi". Conosci Andrés, coordinatore della Sezione Salute.

→  read the story

Alice

"Forse chi mi ispira di più sono i miei 'compagni di avventure' al CIG: darsi così tanto da fare, con passione e impegno, è una cosa bellissima." Alice si occupa di scuola, formazione e Pride

→  read the story

Fabio

"Arcigay era l'associazione che nell'immaginario collettivo rappresentava la sede dove le mie domande avrebbero potuto trovare risposta"

→  read the story