Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, Gino the father: we cannot be indifferent. Cardinal Zuppi, love is never possession

"We cannot afford to be indifferent or look the other way. It is time to join forces'. So said Giulia Cecchettin's father, Gino, presenting the foundation dedicated to his daughter Giulia at the Chamber of Deputies, a one year after the young student was killed at the hands of someone who said he loved her. A foundation that wants to work for gender equality, to fight violence against women and keep Giulia's memory, her dreams and values alive. 'When you face such tragedies, life always surprises you by giving you new purposes. And that is what I am here to tell you about today. Beyond a tribute to Giulia, the foundation's commitment is about involving each and every one of us,' emphasised Gino Cecchettin. The foundation has 'the task of educating to bring about change. Gender violence is the result of a collective failure: it is not just a private matter. We must educate the new generations'. The presentation was broadcast live on webtv, shared with Italian MEPs and available to all Italian schools, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education.

Among the Foundation's first initiatives were the development of educational and awareness programmes on gender-based violence for schools and families, training courses for the world of work to promote diversity management practices and combat harassment. Then scholarships for female students on stem courses and merit awards for research and creative projects in Giulia's memory, as well as research activities to understand the causes and consequences of gender-based violence and develop effective interventions. Collaboration with the world of information to improve the narrative of gender-based violence and reduce the phenomenon of secondary victimisation. And more than 30 red benches installed all over Italy dedicated to Giulia, symbols of hope and memory, plus 50 scholarships and prizes named after Giulia, awarded by associations against violence against women, universities, companies and professional orders. Six spectacular murals, including the one in Milan's Piazza del Duomo, which inspired the cover of 'Cara Giulia', the book written by her father Gino that will help fund the foundation.

"Dear Gino, today you are presenting the Foundation that bears the name of your beloved Giulia, who has also become dear to each one of us. I would like to make my personal closeness to you, your children and all your family and friends felt. I want to express my sincerest thanks for the way you have been able to face with such humanity a storm that has torn the beautiful flower of Giulia's life," stressed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, in a message sent to the presentation of the Foundation dedicated to the young student killed last year by her ex-boyfriend Filippo Turetta. "I also encourage the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation you are presenting today for its commitment to help ensure that there are no more victims of abuse and to understand and combat violence and its causes. This will help us to understand that love is never possession, but always gift and respect. As far as it will be possible for me,' continued the Cardinal, 'I will try to help you. Have a good journey with much friendship and closeness'.

"We are here to make a noise. A cry. And we say it to the men: none of them or any of us call out.Gino Cecchettin's idea to present the Foundation in the Chamber of Deputies surprised and moved me greatly. We have been waiting for nothing else, this day is the start of a week that will take us to 25 November, the World Day against Women's Violence. We are doing it in Giulia's name, looking ahead at the need to train and talk, to confront especially with young people for an affective education that is evidently lacking today,' said Chamber of Deputies Vice-President Giorgio Mulè, at the presentation of the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, hosted in the Sala della Regina in Montecitorio precisely on the initiative of the member of the Italian Parliament. 'Can legislation be improved? It can always be done better,' Mulé stressed, 'and it can be done better with the commitment not only of parliamentarians, but of all those who have a role in the institutions. Here there is no difference between party and ideology, there is a common interest which is that of a new and different approach to affectivity, to the way of behaving and having respect, especially for women'.

"There are still in our country residues of machismo, let's say machismo, which must be fought and which are then those that lead to considering women as objects, as people with less civilisation". A great cultural battle must be waged involving school and family, where there are truly equal relationships, said Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara in a video message sent on the occasion of the Foundation's presentation. He was challenged by the opposition for stating that patriarchy has not existed since the 1975 reform of family law and that 'we must not pretend not to see that the increase in the phenomena of sexual violence is also linked to forms of marginality and deviance in some way descended from illegal immigration'. Elena Cecchettin, Giulia's sister, responded sharply, urging the minister not to 'make propaganda at the presentation of the foundation that bears the name of a girl killed by a white, Italian and 'respectable' boy; if he listened, hundreds of women would not continue to die in our country every year'.