The Role of Local Authorities for the Right to Peace: The Italian Case of Solidarity to the Palestinian People

The present article conducts an analysis of the political culture of positive peace within the Italian local authorities, and its contribution to international peacebuilding through the medium of City Diplomacy. While this culture is historically rooted in the Perugia-Assisi tradition, it re-emerged as a potent political force during the 2025 protests regarding the Gaza conflict. A research study was conducted on a dataset of 119 provincial capitals over an eighteen- month period. The aim of the study was to explore how these municipalities acted as international relations actors by adopting motions for the recognition of Palestine and humanitarian aid. The findings demonstrate that, despite a divergent national policy, Italian local authorities assumed the role of decentralised peacemakers. In conclusion, this study presents the Italian case as a paradigm of how cities can exercise their ‘responsibility to protect’ and influence global peace within a multilevel governance system.