Gino Cecchettin, father of Giulia Cecchettin whose 2023 femicide made her a symbol in Italy’s fight against gender-based violence, declared his resolve to live “regardless of court rulings” while speaking at the Giffoni Film Festival about his foundation’s mission. “As a citizen, I know penalties must exist for breaking the social contract of law, but I see it as external. I won’t let a verdict dictate my life,” Cecchettin stated. He emphasized rejecting anger: “Rage leads nowhere. Knowledge is the foundation of everything.”
The Giulia Cecchettin Foundation will prioritize education in emotional management and healthy relationships. Cecchettin believes this is crucial for social change, suggesting his daughter’s killer, Filippo Turetta, might have reacted differently with such training: “Had Filippo taken an emotional intelligence course, he would have suffered from Giulia’s rejection, but understood life goes on. We must teach our youth: total darkness doesn’t exist. Education removes that layer of dust to reveal the light beneath.”
Cecchettin stressed the importance of confronting patriarchal language: “Patriarchy is an uncomfortable word, but it’s a living social problem ingrained in behaviour, often unseen because we’re accustomed or dismiss it as archaic. Yet it permeates daily news. We must keep talking about it.” He proposed jurists create a digital repository: “I’d like a blog cataloguing sexist, chauvinist, patriarchal expressions to provide clear evidence when asked ‘what is it?’. You have the tools to digitize it. Let’s start with language.”
Addressing security investments, Cecchettin noted significant gaps remain: “We’ll meet Interior Minister Piantedosi, who offered collaboration. I’d ask him to boost support for women reporting violence, as they face heightened risk; to accelerate investigations; and to handle reports more carefully.” Consequently, the foundation plans specialized training courses for law enforcement.
Reflecting on his reaction to Giulia’s murder, Cecchettin shared: “I knew hatred would hurt me more than anyone. When I couldn’t suffer more, I avoided those feelings. The pain won’t vanish – I’ll feel it intensely until my last day – but avoiding fury makes me strong for my children.” His capacity to transform profound grief into action deeply moved the Giffoni audience: “I felt excruciating pain. Imagining another parent enduring this gave me sorrow. I combined that with Giulia’s inherent altruism – I wanted to emulate her, become more selfless to spare others this pain.”
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