DAYS OF FLORENCE
Wednesday, November 6, 2002
The bus takes almost half the time usually need to get to Piazza S. Croce and this already well establish the Florentines against the social forum, already rained the first few bars 'here, as hath been found ready-solve' traffic, but alternate plates, pegs and ztl different. Every week a social forum, here we icché Ole. " In fact there are no bans or restrictions on the roads of any kind, perhaps the Florentines have been afraid of being stuck in traffic, or that their machines could be smashed by the hordes of Huns so well described by Fallaci. The fact remains that have proved that they could do without a car to commute to work, grocery shopping, accompanying children at school. And 'soon, so I do a tour of the center, almost all the shops are open, the Florentines are the usual things, work, walker, buy it. The police presence is discreet, yet the promise is kept. We're just beginning, but if you see a good morning from the morning's no hope. In short, if you do not know that soon, at 18, there will be the inauguration of the social forum, it seems like another day and a few shops would not staring into the eye. In Florence in recent years have many shops that have closed, traditional craft, box office history, who do not have done more to sustain the fierce competition and needs brought about by advertising and the shutters down we have seen all the time. The dams on the 'Blade runner' of McDonald's and some other logo, however, could also pass as a work in progress. And if anything does not feel the horrible stench from there it expands to the roads around it is a wonder. Meanwhile, Piazza S. Croce is filling up, here the shops are all closed, but the windows of the houses all lit up and people are facing. Maybe the feet are slippers, but wear coats because it's cold tonight, the real one. It 'great to see Florence overrun by people of all countries, colors, languages \u200b\u200bwhich are not, finally, the usual tourists who stifle the rest of the year. And what I feel like is coming almost asking "permission?" as you do when you enter someone else's home. It happened, for example, be struck several times, it is normal when there is so many people. But every time the boy, the girl, sir, he turned to me smiling and said "sorry." Usually almost no one asks you to excuse me if you stepped on the foot strikes you on the bus or the street, I have perceived as a way to make people feel that it was there in harmony, peace. Many young people, many, but also many older people (old?) And many Florentines, in short, did you feel at home in embracing this feeling too "foreign." Many of those mobile reassure friends and relatives, many languages and dialects that sent playful words and serene. But those who have made me smile of tenderness were a gentleman and a lady of sixty years or more, Romagnoli, who spoke with the children stayed at home, to say 'mo ski, we are all good, is just beautiful' . And then, on with the music, and then all to dance. And then the speeches, Dario For and Franca Rame, all the others, and even music and even dances.
Friday, November 8, 2002
The queue to get the pass is long, even today, despite the sun and cold, but it is there, while talking with patients and who you are next. The colorful past, all bellini, have been completed, and so now they give us those photocopied, whites and blacks, smorticini. Wishing you could make smart, there are so many people that would be a breeze to enter without a pass, without pay (10 € for the pass every day of the forum, free offer for that day) but nobody else does. Inside, well, inside is another world. Dyes, perfumes (most important are those of the sausages on the grill and the smell of smoke, which is not the smoke of barbecues, but whatever), the sunlight, fragments of conversations in many languages, laughter, people, lots of people. Can not watch the debate with Gino Strada, the convention center is huge but there is no more. So do a tour through the stands. There are all represented, and all those who want believe that "another Europe is possible, another world is possible ', from Attac, a liberation, Rete Lilliput, the Catholics, to Megachip, the European Carlo Giuliani, in short, the communist atheist eaters children alongside Catholics, a wonderful mix. And all that talk with everyone, and books, pamphlets, documents, and movies. It can only be taken away, wandering, looking seraphic. The pavilion which hosts conferences are always packed with people, all the doors are wide open, but inside the air is unbearable at times, do not you turn in, but no matter, no one moves even though there is not even a square of space to sit on the ground and ended the headphones for the translation. There are no words, feelings and emotions that need no translation, it seems a cliché, but it does. Listening to people who do not even know, listening Agnoletto Zanotelli and father who, as always, hits you inside. I lose the intervention of Sabina Guzzanti disguised as Oriana Fallaci, patience, I see him again in the evening on television. Patience really feel that it takes me being there is that what is going on is great and if, by force of circumstance I lose something, is not important, what is important is what is happening. Also here are many and the Florentines are also many middle-aged people. My channel is alone at home, I have to give her baby food and medicine and so I go on, but Perhaps what I want is to take my sleeping bag and sleep in, here, at the Fort which normally hosts' Pitti fashion. "
Saturday, November 9, 2002
Here, the big day. Today the streets are deserted, even on Sundays it was a marvel of austerity. Then the machines do not circulate, but they were all in sight, parked. Not today, not the machines we sNot! Disappeared, as if by magic. Along the route of the procession could not even be parked bicycles, also via the waste bins. But there are people around, even if it's only noon and have not yet arrived at a point where the procession will pass. Florence is so beautiful, so live, I who five years ago I went to live in the country because I could no longer live there, now I'm excited. Today I find out how much I love my Florence. From tomorrow everything will be as before, but these days were a precious gift. I am in Viale Matteotti, police deployed about half of the avenue, two or three hundred yards from Freedom Square, where the parade will win. But not a lot, the police have the quiet air, and above all, helmets are inserted in the arm, their faces uncovered. All police, all police officers I met are like that, his face uncovered, the air calm. Maybe they taught them how to fake it, maybe it is normal that they are also concerned, but I do not feel any fear to pass by, not lower my eyes, do not feel any challenge the intersection eyes of some. They are small signals, for heaven's sake, and maybe me I dream of them, but ... certainly are not required to charge. It 's noon and a half, maybe even when it comes to the head of the procession, we already knew that it would move no more than 15 hours because the turnout was much higher than expected, but so soon, cheers. And it is a riot of colors, flags, music, drums, dancing. The parade is all giovasnissimi, children, youth, students, workers (the sign of Fiat makes me tighten my stomach with excitement), nuns, people of middle age, elderly, dogs. I think of my channel, you are too disobedient, even Casarini would take. I can not move from where they are, remain there for three hours, despite a cold, deadly, because it is a show that you can not come on, you can not. Brings a joy, an emotion, an incredible joy. I almost forget that I want to march. But first a coffee, frozen legs of the posts and I move like a robot. Around the square, including its expanded, there is a shop open. I make a mental map to remind me in such shops, bars, do not go anymore, I swear. The only supermarket is open, which he sold throughout the day to eat and stuff to drink to the participants at the event, will have grossed hundreds of millions. I have to get on the Ponte del Pino to find a bar with three men inside in later years (two women and one man) kind and friendly, which does not even have a moment to breathe, but you are not expecting to see the coffee the first ticket. There is also my parents 'house, harbor a bit' of people to do foo. Then I say to my "thank you very much, now we put the sticker on the bell Florence Open City." Fortunately, my parents would not have been the only ones, along the roads, the path of 6 km and 7 hours were needed for all managed to do so, the Florentines have been many who have opened their homes to offer a glass of water or using the toilet. Not counting those who had welcomed the forum participants also to sleep. And along the way were also many shops open, a baker, worked all night and then put a dock out of his shop and offer free bread and crushed. And in a city that prides itself, rightly, its culture, this has to happen, this is culture, respect for others, civility. At this stage the arrival of the demonstrators continued until seven in the evening, the concert went on until almost midnight. Many artists, I like to remember, for all the Bandabardò, greeted with a roar of joy. And I like to remember the many stalls various "Aiello king of pork 'that were there to give food and drink. They have gained a lot of money, sure, but I see it as fair. And then the day did not want to finish. Even after the streets, there was a lot of people, all happy, tired, sure, but the joy, contentment was really palpable. And there were still so many things, such as the reading of poets against the war, in the tent in dell'Arci Rpubblica Square or the many initiatives in the surrounding towns during the days of the forum was attended well, with films, discussions, readings , nights like that, striking at Pontefract, with Giulietto Vauro Church and, by Rion (who also did the honors on stage around the stadium), which is able to mix the serious with the fun intelligent information and where Pangallo, with his legendary voice-overs, made us laugh out loud. There. This is my guide, maybe a little "technical", but certainly very sensitive.
Lisabetta Miller
