(ANSA)- Rome, March 7 - Italy is celebrating the 50th
anniversary of the first publication in the country of the
Mafalda comic strip by Argentine cartoonist Joaquin Salvador
Lavado, known as Quino, 85, with a round of events.
An itinerant exhibit across Italian libraries will mark the
anniversary of the little rebellious girl, the protagonist of
books that have been translated into 20 languages, with over 50
million copies sold in 50 countries worldwide.
The exhibit, to be inaugurated in October at the Diotti
Museum of Casalmaggiore near the northern city of Cremona, will
showcase some of the original cartoons first published by
Feltrinelli in 1968 and a UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child illustrated by Quino.
The 1969 Bompiani book 'Mafalda la contestataria', or Mafalda
the protester, an edition featuring a preface by renowned writer
and academic Umberto Eco, brought Mafalda to fame in Italy.
A daily Mafalda strip was subsequently published by one of
the country's leading newspapers, Paese Sera.
The full collection of comic strips 'Tutto Mafalda' was
published in 2006 by Magazzini Salani, which is celebrating the
anniversary on Friday with 'Tempo di Libri', or the time for
books, on the day the international publishing fair, which
starts on March 8, is dedicating to rebels.
Magazzini Salani started publishing Mafalda books in 2006 and
reportedly sold 200,000 copies in 10 years.
Milan's Idroscalo park is also paying homage to Mafalda with
a wooden sculpture at the entrance of an area, the 'Auli Aule
garden of forgotten toys'.
Some of Mafalda's quotes have also been published in a
brochure that will be distributed for free at the park.
Mafalda, a six-year-old girl who worries about the state of
human rights and peace, first appeared as the main character of
a strip published by Argentine weekly Primera Plana on September
29, 1964.
Known for her great concern for human rights as well as her
hatred of soup, Mafalda often leaves adults, notably her
parents, at a loss with her mature questions on a number of
issues including peace and gender equality, which have
fascinated generations worldwide for decades.
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