The presence of Jews on the Italian peninsula can be traced back as far as 200 bce during the late Roman Republican period. Italian Jewry is especially diverse, comprising a mix of Italian, Sephardic, Ashkenazic, Persian and Libyan Jews. The 30,000 Jews living in Italy today form a thriving community, which is concentrated in the major cities of Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence and Leghorn (Livorno). Interest in Jewish culture is wide-spread among the wider Italian population, though knowledge about Judaism is often quite limited. Kosher food is available in the main cities that have a large community. The representative body of Italian Jewry is the Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane (UCEI), the Union of the Italian Jewish Community – the Italian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress.