Italy needs to find its own path to integrate immigrants into society ''in a way which is both innovative and ahead of its time,'' House Speaker Gianfranco Fini said on Monday.
Speaking at the presentation of a book on immigration, Fini observed that ''the biggest challenge is that of obtaining for ourselves a national identity which is new and open''.
According to Fini, ''integration is not the coexistence of different groups under the same laws. The elimination of any and every discrimination and achieving equality under the law is only a first step''.
''The second has to be that of sharing common values and goals,'' he added.
Fini said that he would like to see Italy as ''a dynamic and evolving country, proud of its own traditions but not chained to a close identity of the past. A country which is aware of its own mission in the world and thus ready to share with the international community the responsibility of guaranteeing peace and cooperation between peoples''.
