Alife. “Alife, a town of almost 7500 inhabitants in the province of Caserta, a place of profound culture and rich history as evidenced by the presence of precious monuments, archaeological sites and flourishing architecture. Caserta is the diocese of Raffaele Nogaro, now bishop emeritus, a strong and powerful voice of the Church on the front lines for Peace and justice, alongside the marginalized and the impoverished. And it is the land of Agnese Ginocchio, a pacifist singer-songwriter, author of many songs for legality, for Peace, human rights and against all violence.
Agnese is the driving force and president of the Peace Movement, promoter of countless initiatives in the Caserta area and beyond. Among these, the birth of the Garden of Peace in Alife, where the Tree of Peace is planted during the stages of the Torch of Peace, a place to remember and bear witness to the importance of the commitment against wars, the defense of human rights, male violence against women and the mafia”. Thus begins the press release, which we publish in full, from the Peace Movement.
“Next to the Tree of Peace, in the garden at Alife, stands the bench dedicated to Stefania Formicola – murdered by her ex-husband on 19 October 2016 in Sant'Antimo – and the plaques dedicated to the financier Antonio Sottile, murdered by smugglers 21 years ago, and to Giuseppe Macchiarelli, murdered in the 1995 massacre. The Registry of Real Estate Offices of Santa Maria Capua Vetere also stands the Tree dedicated to the magistrates Falcone and Borsellino and other trees including the one dedicated to children's rights and to Malala Yousafzai.
“The acts of vandalism and defacement that are occurring in the area that hosts the Tree of Peace, have destroyed our symbols – the indignant words of Agnese Ginocchio reported by Laura Tussi on the Peacelink website – the emblems dedicated to Peace and legality, but what is even more serious, they have attacked the bench-symbol against feminicides. A bench that is dedicated to the memory of a murdered woman”.
The plaque in memory of Stefania Formicola, on the bench dedicated to her memory, has been repeatedly vandalized. The spotlights placed on the roots of the trees were stolen, the plants in the garden were uprooted, the wooden sculpture dedicated to Giovanni Di Franco, the last surviving veteran and witness to the horrors of the Great War who disappeared on January 10 of this year, was also devastated. Last year the banner and the plaque dedicated to judges Falcone and Borsellino were broken, the decorative stones from the flowerbeds were thrown everywhere. This is the result of the devastating vandalism raid”.
"What disheartens us most is that in that place that we consider sacred, there is the entire educational path started over the years with the schools, through the 'Torch of Peace' project, and the bench was part of this educational path. What is also disheartening is that a few days ago the "Garden of Peace" of Piedimonte Matese, the municipality bordering Alife, was also hit, where we have the other Tree of Peace planted during the March of the Torch of Peace.
We found the dedication plaque of one of the two olive trees on the ground, the stick that supported it disappeared, we found it later, they had thrown it in the adjacent flowerbed where the monument dedicated to P. Pio stands. It was the undersigned who noted the devastation while she was going to the area.
Harsh and firm condemnations of the barbaric and wicked act came from Father Alex Zanotelli, a Combonian missionary, from Monsignor Raffaele Nogaro, from the mayor of Alife Maria Luisa Di Tommaso, from the provincial coordination of Libera against the mafia, the association founded by Don Luigi Ciotti, from the Pangea Network for nonviolence of Scampia, from Sergio Vellante, university professor of the Caserta section of Italia Nostra and member of ASviS (UN Agenda 2030), from the magistrate Carlo Carmosino, from Mimmo Marzaioli, provincial representative of Agende Rosse P. Borsellino, from the parents of Stefania Formicola.
The condemnation of the board of directors of the Peace Movement was also harsh – says spokesman Gino Ponsillo – “The clear observation of this social disaster must make the institutions reflect so that the strong commitment carried out by the Volunteers, who often risk their lives for their ideals in the world, is not wasted due to outrages and violence committed by “social delinquents”.
It is our duty, in the meantime, to report these abuses to the Authorities so that they take initiatives to discourage such deviations, which are harmful to the entire community. Many friends urge us not to abandon our commitment to Peace and Social Justice, following these very sad events. We thank them for their solidarity! They are all messages of hope. We will continue... we will rebuild...". "Those who say it is impossible should not disturb those who are doing it (A. Einstein)."
Messages from Fr. Zanotelli, Mons. Nogaro, M. Marzaioli, Libera against the mafia, Sergio Vellante, Rete Pangea.
“ALIFE: AN OUTRAGE TO PEACE. I was deeply saddened when I was informed of the outrage to the bench, to the Peace tree in the small garden in Alife. This act of vandalism is extremely serious because it shows contempt for the great values of Peace, of the “repudiation of war” (art. 11 of the constitution) and of active non-violence, the great values that will allow us to move slowly towards “a plural humanity.” (A. Zanotelli).
“Peace is the supreme good to always promote, to always care for, to always defend. I am bitter because the vulgarity of certain spirits not only does not want Peace but also derides and tramples the symbols of peace. The fact of Alife happened to the promoter of Peace Agnese, is a reason for temporary disappointment because the believers of peace will know how to defend and implement it even without symbols and without flags.” (R. Nogaro).
"The acts of vandalism committed in Alife against the symbols of Peace do not only concern the citizens, the young people of Matese, but are the worrying sign of the advance of an anti-constitutional vision of the "repudiation of war" throughout the territory, among other things, national and not only. Only Social Justice and a Pacifist Vision of international relations can contribute to defeating the hatred proposed with both hands in every place - family, school and society!
To hatred we unitedly counter with Love.” (M. Marzaioli).
“The repetition of such actions, in that territory as in many other realities, puts us in front of a generational responsibility that asks us to start a strong and broad shared and participatory reflection useful to understand how to intercept that malaise that continues to rise in the youth groups. Young people who should be educated to the value of public good and the founding principles of civil life even if we are well aware that the difficulties in implementing immediately effective measures are many.
We certainly need training for young people but also for parents, just as we need the ability to collaborate and take responsibility on the part of all the actors who feed the social network that our territories need. Therefore we appeal to all of civil society, families, schools and the entire community to help us promote opportunities for awareness and growth, today more than ever it is necessary…” (Libera against the mafia).
“Dismay, anger and indignation are the feelings that pervade my person and suggest moving to a strong political action – as urges – to achieve Peace as the only means for the elimination of social inequalities, territorial disparities and for the realization of Environmental Sustainability. Starting this protest, from the territories that represent “the heart” of Matese, starting from Alife, headquarters of the Movement, is a local but emblematic battle for the fate of Humanity and the Planet. With strength and determination we will move forward.” (S.Vellante).
“These acts of vandalism, senseless, which reveal a deep restlessness, poor education and lack of love, are very widespread in the youth world, at all latitudes. A phenomenon to be investigated, but at the same time to be stopped. I believe that your decision to continue, fully shared, is the only path we can take, hoping to be able to intercept these kids and succeed in establishing a dialogue. Full solidarity from Scampia.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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