Turning 18 in Italy just got better. Beginning on September 15th, Italian citizens will be given a “culture bonus” on their 18th birthday.
This €500 gift is meant to be spent on books, concerts, theaters, museums, movies and trips to national parks. The Independent UK has the scoop:
Some 575,000 teenagers are expected to benefit from the scheme, and though it will cost the Italian government €290 million, parliamentary undersecretary Tommaso Nannicini believes it is money well spent.
“The initiative sends a clear message to youngsters, reminding them that they belong to a community which welcomes them once they come of age,” he told Corriere.