After Francesco Spano resigned as head of Italy's National Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) amid scandal, the Italian Coalition for Civil Rights and Freedoms president, Patrizio Gonnella, wrote to Under Secretary of State Maria Elena Boschi to stress the importance of finding a new president for UNAR who is independent and capable of giving the office the central role it is supposed to have, particularly in times like today when populism and xenophobia are on the rise.