Two red benches at Milan Malpensa airport

On the occasion of a significant awareness-raising initiative, SEA, Aeroporti di Milano, collaborated with the Anemos Italia Association, under the patronage of the States General of Women, for the installation of two red benches at Milan Malpensa airport. This symbol against gender-based violence stands as a reminder for all passengers in transit, uniting the whole world in the fight against violence against women.

 

The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of numerous institutional guests, including Francesca Caruso, Councillor for Culture of the Lombardy Region, Salvatore Pasquariello, Prefect of Varese, Monica Piccirillo, Director of Malpensa Airport of ENAC, and Massimiliano Crespi, Chief People and Supply Officer of SEA Aeroporti di Milano. To make the event even more touching, two special guests shared their experiences: Anna Marsella, President of the Anemos Italia Association, and Pegah Moshir Pour, consultant and human rights activist, who sent a message in memory of Masha Amini, an Iranian activist who was a victim of femicide in 2022.

 

 

Anna Marsella, who has always been committed to the fight against gender discrimination, proposed the installation of red benches to SEA. According to Marsella, the symbol of the fight against gender-based violence takes on an even more powerful meaning in an international airport like Malpensa, a place of transit that sees people of different nationalities and cultures pass through. The benches, one located in the arrivals area and the other in the check-in hall of Terminal 1, will capture the attention of all travelers, raising awareness of this dramatic issue.

 

 

One of the benches is dedicated to the memory of the victims of femicide in 2024. The names of these women were provided by the Non Una di Meno Association and were transcribed with the art of Luca Barcellona, who thus gave an artistic and significant touch to the bench. The other bench is a tribute to Mahsa Amini, the Iranian activist killed in September 2022 after being arrested for breaking a code on the hijab. Pegah Moshir Pour, one of the strongest voices in the battle for Iranian women's rights, attended the event to remember the importance of her figure.

 

The red benches are an initiative that has taken hold in many Italian and international cities, becoming a symbol of awareness against violence against women. Each bench represents the place that a woman victim of violence will never be able to occupy again, but also serves as an invitation to collective reflection on the need to prevent and combat this serious social problem. The benches, often accompanied by phrases or plaques promoting respect and gender equality, have been placed in public places such as parks, squares and schools, with the intention of stimulating profound cultural change.

 

By the editorial staff of Avion Tourism Magazine

Text source and photos: Copyright © SEA Press Office

Photo: Copyright © SEA Press Office / Stefania Malapelle

Photo Milan: Copyright ©  Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock

---

 

---