The femicide of Giulia Cecchettin at
the hands of her ex boyfriend on November 11 must provide the
impetus to fight against gender-based violence, her father Gino
Cecchettin told mourners at her funeral in Padua on Tuesday.
"May Giulia's memory inspire us to work together against
violence, may her death be the impetus for change," said
Cecchettin, addressing over 8,000 people gathered at the
Basilica of Santa Giustina to pay their last respects to the
22-year-old Padua University biomedical engineering student
whose kidnapping and murder by Filippo Turetta, 21, has sparked
public anger and dismay in Italy and prompted much
soul-searching about how to tackle the problem of patriarchy and
gender-based violence.
"My daughter Giulia was exactly as you have got to know her: an
extraordinary young woman, cheerful and lively, never satiated
with learning," continued Cecchettin, also paying homage to the
way in which she had "embraced the responsibility of running the
family after the untimely loss of her beloved mother" Monica
last year.
"Femicide is often the result of a culture that devalues the
lives of women (who then become) victims of those who should
have loved them; instead they are harassed, forced into long
periods of abuse, until they have lost their freedom, before
they also lose their lives," said Cecchettin.
"How can this happen? How could this have happened to Giulia?"
he asked.
"There are many responsibilities, but the educational one
involves everyone. I turn to the men first of all: we must be
the first to show that we are agents of change against gender
violence," he said.
"Dear Giulia, it is time to let you go, say hello to your mother
for us. We will learn to dance in the rain. Thank you for these
22 years," concluded Cecchettin.
Giulia's coffin was then carried out of the church accompanied
by a long round of applause, bell-ringng, key-rattling and
shouts of "Giulia, Giulia!", including from the thousands of
people who had watched the funeral on big screens in Prato della
Valle square outside.
The family had asked for mourners to hold a minute's "noise" in
protest against gender-based violence including femicide.
The government of Premier Giorgia Meloni was represented at the
funeral by Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, while President Sergio
Mattarella made special mention of Giulia during the Star of
Merit for Labour award ceremony at the Quirinale Palace in Rome.
The "value and respect for life must be reaffirmed with
determination in every sphere, circumstance and dimension", he
said.
Lessons were suspended at Padua university where Cecchettin was
due to graduate on November 16, and the rector Daniela Mapelli
attended the funeral.
Tuesday was also proclaimed a day of mourning in the Veneto
region, with flags on public buildings at half mast.
"Today, on the day of Giulia Cecchettin's funeral, I ask the
entire Veneto region to send a collective signal, loud and
clear, against gender violence," said Veneto Governor Luca Zaia
on social media on Tuesday morning.
"(It must be) a day that remains indelible, that marks a step
forward so that events like this might never happen again," he
added.
On Monday night the headquarters of the regional government
were lit up in solidarity with all victims of femicide and
survivors of gender-based violence.
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