Italian gov't launches special scholarships for victims of organized crime

12-02-2010 09:51 BJT

ROME, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Italian government on Wednesday launched special scholarships aimed at students who are children of victims of Mafia and other forms of organized crime.

The initiative, according to a note by the government, is aimed at supporting the children of victims of terrorism, organized crime, orphans, survivors of national tragedies and children of police officers and judges who have sacrificed their lives for Italy's well being.

The scholarship's goal is to spread awareness among the victims' families that the state has not abandoned them and is investing in their future.

There are mainly two types of victims in the Italian system: those related to the Mafia and those related to terrorism. The Italian age of terrorism ran in 1970-1980's, when left and right wing militia fought each other in urban guerrilla. There have been a total of 14 terrorist massacres in Italian history with over 100 deaths.

The scholarships divide in two: those destined for elementary and middle school kids and those for university students and researchers.

The Italian state has long introduced special incentives for Mafia and terrorism victims, especially their relatives: children, husbands and wives.

There are currently over 400 families of Mafia victims in Italy. "Cosa Nostra", the most famous Italian Mafia territorial group, has killed over 6,000 people since the beginning of the 19th Century.