by InTrieste
The city of Trieste has introduced a renewed awareness program aimed at preventing bullying and cyberbullying among middle school students, expanding a long-running initiative that combines classroom education with theater-based outreach.
The project, titled “Condividi?” (“Share?”), is part of a broader municipal strategy focused on youth protection and digital safety. It was presented this week by city officials from the social services and public safety departments, alongside representatives from the local police force.
The initiative builds on a 2022 inter-municipal protocol involving Trieste and neighboring municipalities in the Karst area, designed to promote coordinated prevention policies for minors. It is integrated into the city’s Family Center services and includes training, school workshops, and public awareness activities.
A key feature of the program is a two-part format: interactive sessions in classrooms followed by a theatrical performance scheduled for April 16 at the Teatro Bobbio. The play, developed with a local theater company, depicts the experiences of two 12-year-old students facing bullying and online harassment. It is based on testimonies gathered from students and aims to present the issue in direct, non-didactic terms.
City officials said the program is intended to help students recognize harmful behavior, understand its consequences, and develop strategies for seeking help. Educators, social workers and municipal police officers jointly lead the classroom sessions, which are designed to encourage discussion and peer engagement.
Authorities emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach, noting that bullying cases often involve both social and legal dimensions. Municipal police participate in prevention efforts in schools while also responding to incidents involving threats or aggression.
Officials also highlighted the challenges posed by digital communication, where boundaries between online interaction and real-world behavior are increasingly blurred. They said young people often struggle to grasp the consequences of actions carried out on social media or in group chats.
The program comes amid continuing concern over the prevalence of bullying. According to national data cited by the municipality, more than two-thirds of Italian adolescents report having experienced some form of offensive or exclusionary behavior in the past year. Cyberbullying has also risen, with more than one million students aged 15 to 19 reporting incidents in 2024.
Since its launch in 2015, the initiative has reached more than 7,000 middle school students in Trieste. This year, it involves 37 classes and 731 participants across multiple school institutes.
City officials said the objective is not only to raise awareness but also to strengthen prevention networks among schools, families and institutions. They described bullying as a collective issue requiring shared responsibility, rather than an isolated problem affecting individual students.
