On 13 October, WFWP Italy organized a conference in cooperation with the European Parliament Office in Italy to celebrate the 30th anniversary of WFWP and also the International Day of Girls promoted by the UN Organization. The event was held in the prestigious Hall of Flags of the European Parliament in Italy. More than 60 people attended in presence, and 30 online connections.
Dott. Carlo Corazza, the Head of European Parliament office in Italy, said that he was honoured to host our event, and more than that he would like to welcome us again in their new building where they organize events for youth.
Prestigious speakers gave their contributions to the topic "BEING A GIRL TODAY: DIFFICULTIES AND OPPORTUNITIES" that Elisabetta Nistri, the President of WFWP Italy, chose to highlight the difficult situation of many girls in the world who do not have freedom, as in Afghanistan or Iran.
Different is the situation of the young girls in our world who have all the rights and all the opportunities, but many times have lost their dignity and the value of their life. A teacher (and mother) shared her difficulty in relating with her children since they were completely absorbed by social media, so much so that they listen to influencers more than to their own parents, and ended up selling images of their naked bodies even at the young age of 12 years old.
Journalist Barbara Schiavulli reported about her experience during her missions in Afghanistan. With the help of a donation from WFWP Padova, she was able to save a little girl who was otherwise in danger of being sold to pay the rent of the house where she lived with her mother and 3 other sisters. She was also able to help other children who had no blankets in the cold winter and who didn't see an apple in many months. She often receives messages from young girls in Afghanistan who tell her they want to commit suicide because they do not see how they can survive.
It would be of benefit to all of the girls if the western world could talk to the girls of those countries and learn about those realities. They may find an important purpose in caring for and giving courage to these peers.
Lawyer Silvia Sticca, spoke about children's rights according to international conventions, which unfortunately are not respected in many countries. Elena Centemero talked about the importance of school education and the contribution of families in transmitting moral values. Counselor Virginia Vandini shared her experience working with youth in the school. Professor MariaPia Turiello shared her experience working with families in difficult situations. When children witness domestic violence by parents, unfortunately they grow up with trauma and a wrong understanding of family and social relationships.
Maria Gabriella Mieli, WFWP Italy Vice President, then shared about the main activities realized by WFWP Italy in the long history during the 30 years.
At the end of the conference, the WFWP Italy President Nistri shared with guests the Awards they received from WFWP International for supporting WFWP for many years, including the Global Women Peace Award.
The next day, WFWP organized an informal meeting to celebrate the 30th anniversary on the property of Colle Mattia in the Roman hills, and that was the opportunity to talk about how to develop the next WFWP activities with the contribution of speakers, journalists and women leaders in various fields of society. Many of them said that they always receive a lot of inspiration when they come to WFWP conferences.
Reported by Elisabetta Nistri WFWP Italy Chapter Leader
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