The first of a series of monthly “digital detox” Sundays for adolescents in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region will be held on October 12th. The initiative, which will repeat monthly until May 2026, encourages teenagers to switch off their smartphones and devices to spend the day outdoors or in museums, libraries, and other public spaces. The program was announced by the region’s councilor for welfare, Isabella Conti.
The detox Sunday concept emerged from discussions with professionals and families during the “General States of Childhood and Adolescence” forum organized by the regional government last May.
The goal is to promote “direct contact, socialization, and respect for the environment, without the use of smartphones or digital devices” through a calendar of events, workshops, and meetings.
This effort is part of an €8.35 million package the region is deploying for adolescents and pre-adolescents. The funding includes over €2.3 million to combat educational poverty, €800,000 for cultural and sports projects, €700,000 for digital education, €2.5 million for school guidance services, and €2 million to experiment with “open schools.”
“Strengthening educational and social networks, keeping schools open beyond curricular hours, and promoting participation and psychological well-being,” stated Conti, “are some of the initiatives with which the Region reaffirms its concrete commitment to young people, investing resources and planning interventions that are unprecedented in their scope and quality.”
The councilor emphasized the objective of building “a true regional policy for adolescence and pre-adolescence, one that is integrated, structural, and rooted in the local areas.”