# Lombardy and Italian nativity scene heritage initiatives

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lombardy-and-italian-nativity-scene-heritage-initiatives
> Updated: 2026-10-25T07:01:43.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The Lombardy Regional Council approved legislation to protect and promote nativity scenes (presepi) as significant cultural, artistic, and historical heritage. The law establishes a regional registry for museums and exhibitions, creates an annual ‘Lombardy Nativity Week’ from December 15 to 21, and allows municipalities to be designated as ‘Open-air Nativity Museums’ or part of ‘Nativity Villages’. A budget of 600,000 euros has been allocated for 2026–2028 to fund restorations and promotional activities through local authorities and parishes.

Following these regional efforts, various religious and civic entities across Italy announced specific competitions for the 2026 season. The Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo introduced a contest featuring online voting, while the municipality of Pesaro relaunched its ‘Il presepe più bello 2026’ competition, inviting citizens and schools to submit entries for display in the Town Hall.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-25: Italian municipalities and diocese announce nativity scene competitions for 2026

The Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo and the Municipality of Pesaro have launched nativity scene competitions for 2026, featuring online voting and public displays.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-municipalities-and-diocese-announce-nativity-scene-competitions-for-2026

### 2026-09-29: Lombardia approves law to promote nativity scene heritage

Lombardy has approved a law to protect and promote nativity scenes, establishing a regional registry, an annual dedicated week, and a 600,000 euro budget for 2026–2028.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lombardia-approves-law-to-promote-nativity-scene-heritage

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Cite as: Lombardy and Italian nativity scene heritage initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lombardy-and-italian-nativity-scene-heritage-initiatives