International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year to commemorate the social, political, and economic achievements of women around the world. In Italy, this day is celebrated with a range of events, activities, and initiatives aimed at recognizing and honoring the contributions of women in society.
How is International Women’s Day celebrated in Italy?
One of the most popular events in Italy on International Women’s Day is the annual Women’s Day March in Rome, where thousands of women take to the streets to raise awareness about women’s rights and equality. Additionally, smaller-scale initiatives such as community gatherings, debates, or educational workshops focused on empowering women and raising awareness about women’s issues also take place throughout Italy on this day.
Another popular tradition on Women’s Day in Italy is the gift of a mimosa flower or a small bouquet of mimosas to a loved one, wife, sister, mother, or daughter. The mimosa flower became a symbol of Women’s Day in Italy after two activists, Rita Montagna and Teresa Mattei, celebrated the first Women’s Day after the war by offering branches of mimosa to other women as a sign of support and respect while fighting for women’s equality.
In addition to Rita and Teresa, there are plenty of other notable women throughout Italian history. So who are they?
Italy’s most influential women
Strength, determination, and the will to leave a mark on the world are common denominators among the most influential and famous women in Italian history of the last two centuries, including:
- Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator. She is acclaimed for her educational method that builds on the way children learn naturally.
- Grazia Deledda (1871-1963) was the first Italian woman and the second woman in the world to receive a Nobel prize for literature. She won the prize for her novels about love and sin, a patriarchal society, and the role of women.
- Rita Levi Montalcini (1909-2012) was a Neurobiologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1986 for the discovery of nerve growth factor. She is well known as one of the greatest scientists in the world, as she continued to study and research until she was 103 years old.
- Nilde Iotti (1920-1999) was a resistance fighter during the Second World War and a lifelong fighter for women’s rights. She was the first woman to become the president of the Chamber of Deputies for 13 years, becoming the longest-serving post-war president of the Chamber.
These women’s achievements have had a lasting impact on Italian society and beyond. Next time you’re in Italy, be sure to visit some of the sites dedicated to them!
Where to celebrate historic Italian women
Despite the significant contributions of women to Italian society, only a handful of museums and sites in Italy are dedicated to notable Italian women. Some of these include:
- Grazia Deledda Museum in Nuoro, Sardinia, celebrates the first Italian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1926.
- SpazioAldaMerini in Milan has a dedicated room to Alda Merini, one of Italy’s most celebrated poets.
- Palazzo Pitti in Florence displays the works of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most famous Italian Baroque painters from the Caravaggio school.
- Maria Montessori’s house in Chiaravalle, Marche, is organized like a classroom to help visitors understand her innovative approach to education.
International Women’s Day is celebrated in Italy as a day of recognition and celebration of the important role that women play in society. By recognizing and honoring their contributions, we can continue to inspire future generations of women to achieve greatness.
