Liguria is a magical place, a long and narrow region in Northern Italy, bathed by the splendid Ligurian Sea and dominated to the North by the Ligurian Alps and the Ligurian Apennines. A land of poets and fishermen, which smells of basil and flowers. A wonder for the eyes and the spirit.

Unfortunately, Liguria is a place prone to landslides. Unstable and suffering from serious geological problems for some decades, the land has become extremely fragile over the years. This is mainly due to man who, building ever closer to the sea, has undermined a balance, ignoring the laws of physics and logic.

A land, that is sometimes abandoned to itself and on which the necessary prevention works are not carried out. Due to geographic, climatic and geological causes, this region amplifies the destructive damage of floods and studies show that by 2050 these destructive events will increase by up to 30%.

Floods, storms and landslides have forced families to evacuate and many people have died as a result of all this.

On 22 February 2021 in Camogli, a small fishing village in the province of Genoa, part of the cemetery collapsed into the sea.

This collapse, caused by the erosion of the cliff located under the cemetery and aggravated by the strong storms that involved Liguria, dragged about 200 coffins and two chapels containing the bodies into the sea.

Rescuers have been trying for days to bring the coffins back to port, but some have remained wedged between the rocks, making recovery difficult. It is a race against time to try to recover as many coffins and corpses as possible, in fact, there is a fear of a worsening of the sea weather conditions.

Fortunately, in the days prior to the collapse, the area had been cordoned off after hearing strange creaks. As a result,there were no casualties. Victims, however, are the poor bodies floating in the water, some even carried ashore by seagulls, who took advantage of this misfortune.

The pain of relatives is tangible and the worry of not being able to get the bodies of their loved ones back is high.

The solidarity of the community is already making itself heard; online fundraising for the reconstruction of the cemetery has started and help has arrived from companies specialized in climbing works for the recovery of the bodies.

This place, of overwhelming beauty, has been hit once again and it is the task of the human being to try to preserve and respect nature in the best possible way and without presumption.

“Nature challenges us to be in solidarity and attentive to the custody of creation, also to prevent, as far as possible, the most serious consequences.” (Pope Francis)

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The word femicide, understood as perpetuated violence against a woman by a man, was first spread by sociologist, activist and criminologist Diane Russell in 1992 in her famous book “Femicide: The Politics of a woman killing”.

2020 will be remembered as the year of the pandemic due to Covid-19 and the year in which the population was forced to remain closed within the four walls of their houses, recording another terrible fact: the increase in femicides.

Many women, forced to remain segregated in their home during the lockdown, were killed or suffered physical and psychological abuse.

To get a better idea, here are some statistics.

During the first six months of 2020, murderers of women accounted for 45% of the total of all murders, reaching as much as 50% in spring 2020.

One woman every three days was killed inside the house in the first ten months of 2020, for a total of 91 femicides in Italy, this number is scary and should make you think.

Women and children are the weakest victims and their confinement at home, without being able to go out and ask for help, was one of the main causes that led to the increase in these terrible killings.

Most of the victims were killed within the family or by a partner or ex-partner, 21 out of 26 women killed, lived with their own executioner.

Home, the place considered to be the safest, has become a trap with no escape route for many women, who often, due to family pressures, have preferred or have been forced not to file a complaint.

Violence against women is rooted in time and in patriarchal culture all over the world and killing a woman “only” because she is a woman is a mindset difficult to unhinge.

Why does man kill or violate a woman?

Sociological research has shown that the cause is to be found in the fear for men,of losing their power, the fear that women become too autonomous, independent and they can no longer control them. Acts of violence come from men from all social classes, with no particular difference between educational levels and family backgrounds.

Most of the men claim that they killed for LOVE , but if you love someone, you must know how to give up and accept the independence and happiness of the other person.

Women are not an object to be possessed and I hope that sooner or later, all this will change.“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them, Women are afraid that men will kill them” (Margaret Atwood).

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On Sunday 7 December, a large part of the countryside and villages around Modena (Nonantola the most affected village), was completely flooded. The rupture of an embankment of the Panaro river is now causing many families to pass moments of fear and despair.

Houses full of water, impassable roads, 364 people evacuated with the help of rubber boats, and a lack of electricity in many areas.

The people of Modena are used to difficulties. Earthquakes and other floods have shaken this land several times in the past. Solidarity and hard work are repaying the suffering.

The 150 firefighters and almost 300 civil protection volunteers are working for hours without end, in the rain that never stops. The leak in the embankment was promptly repaired, but many people are still away from home or intent on saving what can be saved inside their houses.

Researchers and teachers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia immediately made themselves available to help Civil Protection in the technical-scientific field.

Fortunately, the leak has been closed and sealed. Additionally, the river is being constantly monitored to avoid further problems.

A step was also taken by the President of Emilia Romagna Stefano Bonaccini who promptly requested the State for the Recovery Fund in order to secure the territory, bearing in mind the enormous changes that occur due to climatic effects.

On 7 December, the residents of the affected municipalities awoke in the “yellow zone,” an area where travel would finally be granted. They could have gone to visit relatives or to shop in the city, but the tragedy struck them.

The anger is high and justified. Citizens have wondered why the alert came only when the water was already inside the houses and why public money has not been used in recent years to prevent these types of disasters.

Fortunately, thanks to all the people involved in the rescue, the safety rules for Covid were implemented and ad hoc shelters were created.Surely the Modena population will rise again to continue filling the world with its wonders.

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Italians are creative and when it comes to a forced closure within their four walls. The first activity they throw themselves into with ardor and passion is cooking! Experimenting with new recipes and enjoying the pleasure of good food becomes their primary focus.

Born just this spring, in a difficult time was the initiative called “Italia Keeps on Cooking.” It is a social campaign to raise awareness among the population not to stop cooking to stay united and creative!

A symbol of this initiative is an apron with the words “Italia Keeps on Cooking”, distributed to numerous Italian chefs to convey a message of help and hope for the precarious situation of Italian restaurants.

In addition to an awareness and cooperation initiative, it was also a charity project. The entire proceeds from the sale of these aprons were donated to the Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan and to the intensive care unit, highly involved in the battle against Covid-19.

In hard times like these, where the uncertainty of what will happen prevails, sadness, anxiety and melancholy can be relieved by a good plate of pasta or a delicious dessert.

In fact, several studies have shown that during the forced lockdown, the population has significantly increased the search for recipes on social networks, especially those concerning bread-making and homemade pasta.

There is a trend towards the search for tradition and simplicity of the ingredients.

Below is a simple, satisfying and tasty recipe that can be cooked and eaten on those days when you feel down in the dumps. Times when you need to keep the whole family busy with a fun activity and especially on a cold evening.

PASSATELLI IN MEAT BROTH

(Passatelli is a homemade pasta of the Emilian tradition, very simple and which often uses leftovers).

Doses for 4 people:

– Eggs (about 3) 170 g                                                                – Breadcrumbs 120 g

– Parmesan to be grated 120 g

– 1/2 lemon zest                                                                           – Nutmeg to taste

-Salt up to taste                                                                             – Meat broth 1 l

PROCEDURE:

• Put some good meat broth on the fire.
• While the broth is cooking, prepare the dough: grate the lemon zest and keep it aside; break and beat the eggs for a few moments in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
• In a larger container pour the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan.
• Add the lemon zest, a little grated nutmeg to the parmesan and pour in the eggs.
• Mix the ingredients with a spatula or by hand until the mixture becomes elastic and compact; If too soft, add a little breadcrumbs, if too dry, add a little broth.
• Wrap the mixture in a film and let it rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Put the dough inside a potato masher with large holes and mash directly into the broth that is boiling. Cut the passatelli with a knife to a length of about 4 cm.
• As soon as the passatelli come to the surface, they are ready! Transfer to a plate with the broth and add Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper to taste.

This dish can also be eaten without broth! Just take them out of the broth and add some pesto(ex: courgettes, tomatoes or basil) or smoked bacon or even mushrooms.

Taking refuge every now and then in comfort food, with the joy of having prepared something tasty together with the family, will increase the good mood and will be a valid help to survive in these difficult moments.

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not eaten well.” (Virginia Woolf)

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On October 10 in Milan, in front of the Cathedral, 1300 show business workers all dressed in black took to the square and occupied it with 500 empty trunks. These trunks called Flight cases generally contain all the tools necessary for setting up a show, electrical cables, microphones, amplifiers …

As new Covid-19 lockdowns force the closure of theaters and and other cultural locations, protests erupt in Italy.

Their protest called “Bauli in Piazza”, joins the American movement known as “We make events”, created to support workers in the music field. The protests highlight the profession as being the last to reopen after the spring lockdown and the first to close with the new decree.

There was silence in the square, interspersed with drumming on trunks and applause.

Due to Covid-19 in March, the whole of Italy stopped. Everything closed – from the small shop under the house, to non-essential factories, cinemas and theaters. As restrictions slowly lifted, the places of culture were the last to reopen.

Savoring the luxury of dreaming in a theater stalls or in a cinema, or walking admiring works of art, filled the hearts of citizens with joy.

Italy is a people of culture who love opera. A people who on Christmas does not miss the latest releases at the cinema. And, as a cutlure, Italy boasts a large number of exhibitions and museums.

Entertainment workers have worked hard to ensure safety and to restore the people’s confidence to buy tickets and attend small concerts or plays.

The number of infections that occurred in cinemas and theaters is almost zero, but the government decided that they would be the first to close their doors.

The hustle and bustle of workers and artists was immediately felt with appeals and petitions.

The state is not providing an financial help to artists, theater and cinema directors, the staff behind concerts, film crews, costume designers, sound engineers, screenwriters and others in the industry. All of which is very disheartening.

In a world that, now more than ever, needs to dream and to escape from everyday stress, culture must not be allowed to die.

More than ten thousand employees signed a letter addressed to the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the Minister of Cultural Heritage citing the importance of these places. Stressing how they are vital to keeping the spirit of citizens alive, and pointing out the hard work done to ensure distances and safety.

With the new decree of November 3, museums will also close their doors, leaving an unbridgeable void.

People will find themselves more satiated with all the supermarkets always open, however with closed museums, theaters, cinemas, show halls and schools, the heart and soul always more empty.

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