An unprecedented red carpet
event was set to take place at the Venice Film Festival Friday
with representatives of barefoot marchers walking from the canal
city's Lido to protest the plight of Syrian refugees.
Thousands of people attended other similar barefoot
protests in different parts of the country, including Rome,
Mantua and Naples.
Among those expected to arrive barefoot at the Venice
festival red carpet were labour union leader Susanna Camusso,
left-wing politician Nikki Vendola and director Marco
Bellocchio, among other VIPs.
Immediately afterwards was due to arrive at the Festival
the delegation for the film in competition 'Per Amor Vostro'
directed by Giuseppe M. Gaudino with Valeria Golino,
Massimiliano Gallo, Adriano Giannini and all the other actors.
In Mantua, meanwhile, writers and intellectuals from the
city's literary festival were taking part in another barefoot
march including African author Noo Saro-Wiwa, organised crime
historian Enzo Ciconte, and engineer Gianni Silvestrini as well
as photographer Mario Boccia.
"I want to show solidarity with the refugees because it
seems to me there is not enough empathy with them," said Noo
Saro-Wiwa, author of 'In search of Transworldland, in which he
recounts his return to Nigeria as an adult. His book recently
was published in Italy.
"We have to be able to guarantee these people a safe place
to have refuge until the situation in Syria improves," he said.
The march supported by city and provincial governments was
leaving the piazza Canossa at 7:30 p.m. and was to snake through
the roads of Mantua's historic centre to end up at the piazza
Martiri.
In Naples, a barefoot march left the central Piazza
Plebiscito in a protest organised by Amnesty International
supported by 50 civil society groups with some 1000 people
taking off their shoes and taking part.
"Bare feet are a very strong symbol to make you feel nearer
as possible to migrants and the discomfort they can have
undergone during their journeys," said Serena Salzano, a young
Amnesty volunteer.
"It is a bit sad seeing all these people who only felt
involved in the tragedy after seeing the photo of the (dead)
child on the beach, but since then something has changed in
public opinion".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
