The Italian Earth Charter Committee, in collaboration with the Italian Japan Foundation and under the patronage of the Japanese Embassy to Italy and the Japanese Embassy to the Holy See, co-organized a photo exhibition to remember the destruction of Civitavecchia in 1943 and the destruction of Ishinomaki in 2011. Civitavecchia, a town about 70 kilometers northwest of Rome, was totally destroyed in 1943 by air bombardment during the Second World War. Ishinomaki was devastated by the 2011 tsunami. The exhibition was an opportunity to think about events that can put the existence of a whole town in danger, and the aim was to stimulate a common action towards the realization of a peaceful society and that respects the environment.
Carla Celani, curator of the event stated, “Two different tragedies: the first by man and the other caused by nature. For this reason, the exhibition will not only be a tribute to those who suffered these two disasters, but a moment of reflection individually and collectively, from which we hope will give rise to a consciousness to the rejection of any form of conflict, land conservation in which we live and the environment.” The event showcased photographs of the two cities and the destruction they each underwent, as well as featuring two documents – The Italian Constitution and The Earth Charter.
About 200 people attended the exhibition’s inauguration on March 11th, and since then more than 300 teachers and students from Roman schools have visited.
Here is the video (in Italian) from the exhibition.