The Francesco Severi Scientific High School in Castellammare di Stabia continues to stand out as a vibrant hub of ideas and culture, guided by the enlightened vision of its principal, Professor Elena Cavaliere, and the dedication of its faculty and students.
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, the meeting 'The duty' took place in the institute's auditorium. of the memory e la Research of truth", promoted from the ANM Executive council district di Naples. An initiative and ha offered ideas di deep reflections.
The conference was opened by Giacomo D'Elia, representative of the Libera Association and student at the Severi High School, who forcefully underlined the importance of memory and truth in the fight against all forms of injustice.
She also highlighted how freedom of expression and the fight against gender violence are battles that the young people of Libera carry forward with perseverance and commitment. The collaboration between the association, the ANM and the Francesco Severi High School aims to add a valuable piece to the promotion of justice and awareness among the new generations.
Representing the promoting organization, the conference was attended by Dr. Maria Concetta Criscuolo, President of the Preliminary Investigations Section of the Torre Annunziata Court, and Dr. Ernesto Aghina, former President of the same Court, known for his constant commitment to deepening the connection between truth and justice.
The protagonist of the event was the journalist and author Salvo Palazzolo, who presented his new book "Love in this city", published by Rizzoli.
A work that skillfully moves between novel and investigation , intertwining narrative and historical investigation in a compelling way.
"Love in this City" tells the mysterious story of Cetti Zerilli, a student murdered in 1935 at the Faculty of Law in Palermo, during the height of the Fascist regime. The lifeless body of a National Fascist Party soldier was found next to her.
A story that was covered up, as the author explained, and whose traces were quickly erased, leaving a veritable news vacuum. At the time, information control was managed through a document called the mattinale , through which the regime established daily which facts could be disclosed.
Finding material and verifying the few existing sources was certainly not an easy task for Salvo Palazzolo, who determinedly conducted a thorough search, guided by the conviction that this story deserved to emerge from the fog in which first censorship and then time had sunk it.
However, this hidden truth has not remained entirely submerged: other journalists before him have attempted to pierce the veil of silence imposed by the winds of the time, leaving behind precious fragments of investigations. These traces, hidden for years, allowed Palazzolo to reconstruct the story and restore it to collective memory. " A story only dies when it is denied, when no one can reconstruct it ," stated Dr. Criscuolo, who then underscored the intrinsic value of the journalist's work, remarking: "... Salvo tried to rewrite it as an act of freedom ."
The story of Cetti Zerilli, previously analyzed by the students under the guidance of Prof. Elena Cascone, moderator of the meeting, stimulated a lively exchange of ideas between speakers and young people present.
The incisive questions, sparked by the students' personal reflections, sparked a series of considerations, assessments, and suggestions on related topics—femicide, silence on harassment, youth distress, the spread of drugs, and the role of the mafia— offering valuable insights for interpreting the present with an informed eye to the future.
During this interesting debate, Salvo Palazzolo, a former member of Fuci under the spiritual guidance of the unforgettable Don Pino Puglisi – a victim of the mafia – but also an investigative journalist, one of those who venture into neighborhoods, who listen and look people in the face, urged young people to tell the pain, discomfort and unhappiness of their generation in the territory, hoping for a great investigation into the hidden realities of the city.
He suggested that the kids take on the role of journalists right now, conducting anonymous interviews that can give voice to stories that are still misunderstood, so that someone can finally recognize their existence.
A group of students from Severi, coordinated by the passionate Professor Cascone, almost capturing the author's inspired—if not downright visionary—thinking, produced, as part of the Paths to Transversal Skills and Orientation, a series of podcasts on hidden truths, anticipating the conference's theme. This was a sign of the same sensitivity urgently called for by Palazzolo. The resulting works were then examined by a jury chaired by Dr. Carlo Siracusa, representing the magistrates of the provinces of Naples, Avellino, Benevento, and the district of Nola—whose institutional greeting was entrusted to Dr. Criscuolo at the conference's opening—and by Dr. Aghina himself, who was present at the conference.
Following the selection process, the winners were students Antonio Cascone, Giada Amodio, and Raffaella Maiello, with their podcast titled " Scars of an Era ." The other participants also deserve special mention: Benedetta D'Oriano, Fabrizio Matrone, Simone Esposito, Matteo D'Elia, Greta Amato, Maria Finetti, Maria Rosaria Criscuolo, Fabrizio Pesce, Fernando Scarpone, Luca Coppola, Salvatore Vozza, Giorgio Russo, Giancarlo Fabrini, Giulio Sabato, and Michele Raffone.
Palazzolo urged the students not to be afraid of questions, but to courageously address them, because, "put together, questions reveal the truth."
A lesson rooted in the present, as is also evident from Dr. Aghina's reflection, which weighs like a warning: "More than justice, what is missing is truth. Perhaps the hunger for truth is even stronger than the hunger for justice... Justice doesn't always arrive, but truth does. It arrives late, but it arrives."
The stubborn search for truth is, therefore, the real change. Because time shapes it, reveals it and will always end up giving it a complete expression.
Interesting article but I find that there is some missing information. The story of Cetti Zerilli is truly tragic, but it is not clear how his case has affected today's society. More details would have been useful to understand better.