Two key dates, all linked to 8 March, the celebration was held for the first time in the United States in 1909 and in Italy in 1922. Although in our country, on the initiative of the Communist Party of Italy, initially coincided with March 12, the day which fell on the first Sunday after the March 8. Since then remember the achievements of social, political and economic conditions of women, but also the discrimination and violence that still concern in some parts of the world.
What was the event that kicked off the party?
The origins date back to 1908, when a group of workers in the textile industry Cotton New York went on strike to protest conditions in which they worked. After a few days of conflict with the workers, on March 8, the owner, in retaliation, blocked all exit doors of the establishment. That day, a fire broke out that killed 129 of them. Later this date was proposed by Rosa Luxemburg as an international day of struggle in favor of women.
It ‘s true that it would be one version disputed by many?
Yes, according to some of you would actually confusion with another tragedy that occurred in New York, died March 25, 1911 when 146 workers (mostly young immigrant women from Europe) during the fire at the Triangle factory. Others say that the event instead take a cue from the police repression of a demonstration of textile workers union held in the same city long before, namely in 1857.
On February 8, is still remembered for another fact.
March 8th is a date really revolutionary. On that day in 1917, in St. Petersburg, the women marched through the streets to the “Bread for Peace,” clamoring for an end to war and demonstrating for their rights. Event in Russia gave rise to the February Revolution, the subsequent removal of the tsar and the granting of voting rights to women themselves.
It ‘s true that someone in our country even thought of giving dignity to 8 March a national holiday?
Yes, it happened in 1959, when the senators Luisa Balboni, Josephine Palumbo and Giuliana Nenni introduced a bill to make International Women’s Day a national holiday. But the initiative was soon in a vacuum.
Because the mimosa is the symbol of the party?
Even in this case, the history is controversial. It seems that in Italy the idea of electing the flower as a symbol of the anniversary can be attributed to the initiative dating back to 1946 Walnut feminist Teresa, Rita Montagnana and Teresa Mattei which, come to know that the Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Luigi Longo intended to give the days of the anniversary of the women of violets, suggested to seek a flower poorest and most widespread in the countryside. Choice probably dictated by the seasons and by a factor of taste and color.
It ‘s true that this year will not be easy to give a mimosa?
Yes, today there will be less mimosas available. But it has nothing to do with the crisis, it’s all because of the temperatures. The whims of the weather, in fact, have delayed the flowering of the plant symbol of the Festival of women resulting in a decrease of one third of the total production. But prices have remained more or less unchanged.
What initiatives are a corollary of the party?
The International Women’s Day this year will be dedicated to the prevention and protection of health. Numerous projects throughout Italy dedicated to the welfare of women. In Milan, the Andos (National Association of Women breast surgery) has implemented an initiative in collaboration with several hospitals for visits breast unit free from 4 to 8 March. To hospital San Camillo in Rome you can take advantage of a real prevention package for women 40 to 60 years, with mammography, breast and gynecological visits, pap smears and HPV testing. The AIED (Italian Association for Demographic Education) offers in Naples today for an Open Day for prevention, with gynecological, breast and pap test.
What is the current contribution of women in the Italian political world?
The International Women’s Day is celebrated this year with a 47% increase in the number of women in Parliament, where nearly a newly elected in three (31%) are women, but in other areas such as justice, authority, university and research the ‘units pink ‘is still in its death throes. According to Coldiretti, which commissioned the research, enhancing the representation in parliament rose represents “a profound change that brings Italy to the highest standards in Europe and worldwide.” Higher values are recorded only between elected to the House in Spain (38%) and Germany (32%).