Rome to celebrate collective wedding day

A collective celebration of civil unions - including gay and straight couples alike - will take place in the Italian capital city of Rome on May 21, a media report said on Monday.

Over 20 unions will be celebrated by Rome's Mayor Ignazio Marino, who announced his support of gay marriage in 2013 shortly after being elected, and councillors who supported the initiative, The Local news portal reported.

According to a report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, nearly 50 people are expected to attend the ceremonies at Rome's city hall in Piazza Campidoglio, including families and friends.

The event will follow Rome's Rainbow Week, dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights and to the fight against discrimination, which was set up after the suicide of a gay boy in Rome in 2013. Fifteen-year-old Andrea Spaccacandela had been bullied at school for his feminine looks.

Italy's Premier Matteo Renzi is now pushing for legislation on civil unions to be approved by parliament by May's regional elections.

His Democratic Party (PD) in February agreed to start drafting a bill after meeting with LGBT right groups in Rome.

The European Parliament has been calling for all European Union countries to move towards recognising civil unions and same-sex marriage as a political, social, human and civil right.