Exactly one year after the discovery of Giulia Cecchettin’s body, on 18 November 2023 in the woods of Barcis, in the province of Pordenone, the Foundation that bears her name, created with the aim of combating violence, was presented to the Chamber of Deputies on women and work for gender equality in a fair and inclusive society, keeping alive the memory of Giulia, killed by her ex-boyfriend. “She was a young woman full of life, hope and love,” he said Gino Cecchettinvisibly moved but also determined in his commitment – his tragic fate cannot be vained. Gender-based violence is an insidious and often invisible enemy that affects millions of people around the world. Sometimes life surprises you and gives you the chance to turn pain into purposea purpose that is the Cecchettin foundation which wants to give concrete shape to a dream born from a huge tragedy. We are committed to bringing this violence to light, raising public awareness and providing support to those who are victims of it: gender violence is not a private matter».
The event opened with a greeting from Giorgio Mulè, vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, and the reading of the cardinal’s message Matteo Zuppiwho recalled «love is never possession». Following is the video contribution by Giuseppe ValditaraMinister of Education and Merit, – «The ideological vision would like to resolve the women’s issue by fighting against patriarchy, while a concrete path is needed» – , and the intervention of Eugenia RoccellaMinister for Family, Birth and Equal Opportunities. It closed institutional interventions Martina Semenzatopresident of the Parliamentary Commission of inquiry into feminicide.
Among the interventions of the members of the Scientific Committee of the Foundation, Barbara Poggiovice-rector of equity and diversity policies at the University of Trento: «Gender violence is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, rooted in the profound gender imbalances that run through societybut capable of taking on new connotations in the present, the complexity of the phenomenon requires a plurality of actions capable of impacting cultural practices and models, especially educational interventions”.
«I went through death in its deepest essence first with the loss of my wife, then with that of Giulia. A process of affirmation of good began in me which reached maturity in Philip’s hearing because I didn’t have the thought of hating him. In Giulia’s name I can choose to make love grow», said Gino Cecchettin again.
The presentation was broadcast live on web TV and shared with the European Parliament and all Italian schools. The Foundation now has the following main objectives: the development of educational and awareness programs on gender violence for schools and families, training courses for the world of work, aimed at promoting diversity management practices and combating harassment and study and research activities to understand the causes and consequences of gender violence and develop effective interventions.
The foundation was founded by Giulia’s father, Gino Cecchettin, her sister Elena and her brother Davide. In the board of directors, which respects gender equality and will guarantee the presence of a representative of the victims of gender violence, there are, in addition to dad Gino (president), Anna Maria Tarantula (vice president), Anna Fasano, Federica Pellegrini, Gaia Tortora, Daniela Mapelli and Maria Luisa Pellizzari.
