You did – “Safe streets are made by the women who cross them” with this slogan The Municipality’s initiative started yesterday morning, Saturday 23 November, around 10am raise awareness on the violence against women e celebrate the female figures who contributed significantly to history.
The route touched some of the city’s parks recently named after illustrious women with the aim of strengthening the historical memory and public recognition of women in our community.
Departure from Berthe Morisot Parklocated in front of the Coopfrom which the participants began the journey, a path that crossed the dedicated parks a Enrica Calabresi, Lidia Poet e Nilde Iottiwith the Parco Frida Kahlo – close to via La Malfa and via Moro – how arrival point.
It wasn’t solo a walk, but one reflection on the presence, often invisibleof women in toponymy and in public places in the city.
The naming project, which actively involved the students of the city’s high schools, is part of a broader context that aims to rebalance a toponymy still today dominated by male figures.
At a national level, in fact, the situation is quite significant – as he explained Caterina Fattoripresident of Jesi Women’s House -, according to an analysis of the main Italian cities, on approximately 24.000 streets named after people, just about 1.600 (6.6%) are dedicated to women.
If we exclude the naming of saints and martyrs, which make up the majority of streets, the number of streets named after women is reduced to circa 900. A fact that underlines how the female presence in public titles both still marginal compared to the male one.
«Even at a European and global level, the situation is similar. Data collected from mapping projects on female toponymy confirms that the disparity concerns the representation of women in streets and monuments our entire Western culture. A phenomenon that is not only symbolic, but which reflects a condition of inequality deeper, which also extends to the public representation of women, as demonstrated by the shortage of statues dedicated to female figures”.
Underlining how, moreover, statues bearing women’s names are often in memory of a feminicide.
Il mayor Lorenzo Fiordelmondounderlined the importance of these actions, which go beyond simple historical commemoration.
«This initiative is a political and cultural action that we include in Heart of the city. It’s not just about dedicating parks to women who have made history, but about ensuring that the city can view e recognize the female presence not only as a part of our history, but as one fundamental component from the our collective identity».
«Many Italian cities and also in Europe are characterized by an almost completely male toponymy. It is important that initiatives like this are not an exception, but become part of a change broader, the presence of women in our city must become a daily storyand toponymy can be one of the tools through which to build a fairer memory”.
The Mayor concluded by underlining that this walk is just one first stepan important signal that the city intends to send, but which will not stop here.
«We are one of the few cities in Italy to have one school named after a woman, Gemma whythe first President of the Chamber of Labor in Italy, yet our city and the entire country have still a long way to go. But initiatives like these are fundamental for a cultural change that affects everyone.”
