On the morning of November 25, 2017, at the Immaculate Mary’s House of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Rome, the National Council of AIC Italy elected Gabriella Raschi as the new National President. She succeeds Paola Agnani, who chaired the Association for 4 years.

Native from La Spezia, Gabriella has been engaged for more than twenty years in the Voluntary Vincentian Group (GVV) of AIC in her city. She was a member of the Regional Council of Liguria since 2009. From 2009 to 2013 was member of the National Study Group and from 2013 to 2017 was National Vice-President of the GVV AIC Italy.

The International Association of Charities is the oldest secular association in the history of volunteering. Today there are approximately 9,000 members in Italy and some 150,000 members around the world, in approximately 50 countries.

The origins date back to 1617, the year in which Saint Vincent de Paul, in Chatillon-les-Dombes (now Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne), for the first time brought together a group of women and organized the first initiatives to assist poor families of the parish. To this first group and to those who followed him, St. Vincent gave them the significant name of Charities.

After the death of St. Vincent, Charities spread to many countries thanks to the Priests of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity. Thus, the National Associations were created, united with collaborative ties and coordinated by the president of the French Associations.

In 1971, the delegates of 22 associations, called in Extraordinary Assembly, voted the new statute and adopted the name of the International Association of Charities (AIC). In deciding to keep the word “Charity” in the new name, the members wanted to emphasize the direct lineage and their fidelity to the work created by Saint Vincent.

Paola Agnani, outgoing president, and Gabriella Raschi, new national president of GVV – AIC in Italy