The Italian Buddhist Union (Italian : Unione Buddhista Italiana, UBI) is an association representing Buddhism in Italy.
The UBI was founded in 1985 in Milan [1] [2] and functions as the Italian member of the European Buddhist Union. [3]
In 2007 the association, which represents a large chunk of Italy's 160,000 Buddhists, [4] signed an agreement with the Italian government, in accordance with article 8 of the Italian Constitution (which regulates the relations with religious minorities), and the agreement became law in 2012. [5] [6]
The European Buddhist Union (EBU) is the umbrella organization of Buddhist communities and national Buddhist unions in Europe. The EBU is open to all schools and traditions of Buddhism in Europe wishing to unite on the basis of Buddhist teachings and work together in spiritual friendship and respect for diversity. According to the 'EBU Statement of Mission and Vision' the aims are to facilitate international exchange and promote spiritual friendship amongst European Buddhists, to support social action and ideas motivated by Buddhist values, and to amplify the voice of Buddhism in Europe and worldwide.
Buddhism is a minority religion in Switzerland. According to the 2000 census, 21,305 Swiss residents self-identified as Buddhists. About a third of them were born in Thailand.
Although there was regular contact between practising Buddhists and Europeans in antiquity the former had little direct impact. In the latter half of the 19th century, Buddhism came to the attention of Western intellectuals and during the course of the following century the number of adherents has grown. There are now between 1 and 4 million Buddhists in Europe, the majority in Italy, Germany, Hungary, France and the United Kingdom.
The General Labour Union is an Italian Trade Union Confederation established in 1950, with the original denomination Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Nazionali Lavoratori (CISNAL). In 1996, CISNAL assumed its current name of General Labour Union, a symbolic change to respond to the new challenges of third-millennium society and the reforms of work legislation, without forgetting the founders’ values.
Buddhism in Italy is the third most spread religion, next to Christianity and Islam. According to Caritas Italiana, in the country there are 160,000 Buddhists, that is to say the 0.3% of the total population.
Religion in Italy has been historically characterised by the dominance of the Catholic Church since the East–West Schism, but, over the years, due to immigration, the influx of Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Buddhists and Hindus, as well as proselytism, religious pluralism has increased. Italy also features a pre-Christian Jewish community and one of the largest shares of Jehovah's Witnesses in the world.
The Italian Hindu Union is an association representing Hinduism in Italy.
Hinduism is practised by 0.3% of the people in Italy. It is practised by 0.1% of the Italian citizens and 2.9% of the immigrant population. In 2012, there were about 90,000 Hindus in Italy. In 2015, the population increased to 120,000. As of 2021, the population is around 180,000 - the second largest Hindu community in Europe after the United Kingdom, and the largest Hindu community in the European Union.
Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. is an Italian international banking group. It is Italy's largest bank by total assets and the world's 27th largest. It was formed through the merger of Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI in 2007, but has a corporate identity stretching back to its first foundation as Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino in 1583.
Unione di Banche Italiane S.p.A., commonly known for its trading name UBI Banca, was an Italian banking group, the fifth largest in Italy by number of branches. It was formed on 1 April 2007 from the merger of the Banche Popolari Unite and Banca Lombarda e Piemontese banking groups.
Sergio Mattarella is an Italian politician, statesman, jurist, academic, and lawyer who is currently serving as the 12th president of Italy since 2015. He is the longest-serving president in the history of the Italian Republic. Since Giorgio Napolitano's death in 2023, Mattarella has been the only living Italian president.
The Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK) in Pomaia, a village in Tuscany, in Italy (40 km south of Pisa) is a branch of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Gelugpa dharma centers. It is named for Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelugpa monastic order of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama has taught there on several occasions.
Civic Choice was a centrist and liberal political party in Italy founded by Mario Monti. The party was formed in the run-up of the 2013 general election to support the outgoing Prime Minister Monti and continue his political agenda. In the election SC was part of a centrist coalition named With Monti for Italy, along with Union of the Centre of Pier Ferdinando Casini and Future and Freedom of Gianfranco Fini.
The Automobile Club d'Italia is a not-for-profit statutory corporation of the Italian Republic. The club originated through the efforts of Count Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia as the "Automobile Club of Turin" founded in Turin on 6 December 1898. It first became a national association in 1905 when it joined together with other local automotive clubs. In 1927 the corporate body was formed by royal decree, with the task of promoting and regulating the car sector and to represent car owners' interests in the country.
Lorenzo Guerini is an Italian politician and member of the Democratic Party (PD). Guerini has been serving as the Italian Minister of Defence in the cabinets of successive prime ministers Giuseppe Conte and Mario Draghi from 2019 to 2022. In March 2014, he was chosen by party leader Matteo Renzi to be deputy secretary of the PD along with Debora Serracchiani, a position that he held until May 2017. From 2005 to 2012, he served as mayor of Lodi, Lombardy, his hometown.
Unione Fiduciaria S.p.A. – Società Fiduciaria e di Servizi delle Banche Popolari Italiane is an Italian custodial bank that specialized in custodial services.
The Apostolic Church in Italy is an Italian Protestant denomination in the Pentecostal-evangelical tradition founded in 1927, which is part of the worldwide fellowship of the Apostolic Church and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, an ecumenical body representing Italian Protestants. Its headquarter is in Grosseto.
The Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute is the Italian branch of the Soka Gakkai International Nichiren Buddhist organisation. The Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute is popularly known by the acronyms SGI-Italia, SGI-Italy, and SGI-I.
Unione radiofonica italiana or URI, was an Italian radio broadcaster founded in Turin on 27 August 1924. It was the exclusive radio broadcaster of the Kingdom of Italy.