University of Chieti-Pescara to host Italy's first Blue Bench of Shared Parenting

The University of Chieti-Pescara, known as Università degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio”, is set to inaugurate the first “Panchina Blu della Bigenitorialità” (Blue Bench of Shared Parenting) in an Italian university. The installation, donated by Fondazione GEA – Comunità del Sud Europa, will be located at the Chieti Campus in the olive grove area in front of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

The initiative is part of the “Padri Innamorati” project, developed by Sharing TV Europa for Fondazione GEA. It aims to raise awareness regarding the rights of children and the importance of shared parental responsibility, emphasizing that children benefit from the presence of both parents even following a separation.

The project received funding through a 2024 public notice from the Abruzzo Region’s Osservatorio Regionale della Legalità, which supports initiatives promoting legality and combating gender violence and organized crime. The inauguration ceremony will include university Rector Liborio Stuppia and other officials to highlight the university's role as a space for educational and cultural dialogue on family rights and social responsibility.