by InTrieste
Italy this week marked the 80th anniversary of women’s first participation in national elections, a milestone commemorated at an event in Rome attended by government officials, athletes, and local leaders from across the country.
The gathering, organized by the ministers Eugenia Roccella and Andrea Abodi, brought together prominent Italian women whose careers span politics, sports, and public service. Among those recognized were Olympic champions including Francesca Lollobrigida, Deborah Compagnoni and Manuela Di Centa, as well as several mayors from across the country, including representatives from the northeastern region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The anniversary commemorates a landmark moment in Italian democracy: in 1946, women voted in national elections for the first time, following the end of World War II and the fall of fascism.
According to Dusy Marcolin, president of the Regional Commission for Equal Opportunities in Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of the most emotional moments of the ceremony was a live connection with Paola Del Din, a resistance fighter born in 1923 and one of Italy’s most decorated women of World War II. Introduced during the event by the minister Luca Ciriani, Del Din was described as a recipient of the Gold Medal for Military Valor and a symbol of the sacrifices made by many women and men during the war.
Del Din, now 101, confirmed during the event that she had personally taken part in the first vote granted to women in Italy.
In a statement, Marcolin said the commission hopes that women around the world will continue to gain access to voting rights and be able to exercise them freely.
“The hope,” she said, “is that this fundamental milestone can be reached everywhere and that the right to vote will always be protected and used.”
