From Floriana Garosi to Damiris Corsoni. From the Vannucchi sisters (Marisa and Nida) to Amina Perelli. From Alina Giomi to Lina Maggiorelli. And then Liliana Filidei, Lea Arzilli, Maria Brogi, Varisa Volterrani. These are the women of Castelfiorentino who took part in the liberation movement and the democratic revival in the post-war period. Many small “stories2 of women, many of which have remained “in the shadows” or even been ignored for almost eighty years, are honoured in a photographic and documentary exhibition staged in the events space of the “Il Progresso” Association from Saturday 14 March (10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.).
The initiative, launched to mark the 80th anniversary of women’s first right to vote (March 1946–March 2026), offers the first opportunity to reveal the “faces” of these trailblazers through previously unpublished photographs and documents sourced from public and private archives. Among the new discoveries, the remarkable story of Lea Arzilli stands out in particular: a partisan courier, she was elected councillor in March 1946 and also appointed as a councillor, yet all trace of her had been lost until now. Sent to the PCI party school in Rome immediately after the elections, she fell in love with a man who attended the same school and married him in April 1947, moving to Teramo. It was from Teramo, where her descendants now live, that her children and grandchildren attended last Saturday’s ceremony held at the Ridotto del Teatro, alongside several leading figures in Abruzzo politics who knew Lea Arzilli personally (such as Guendalina Di Sabatino, president of the women’s cultural centre “Hannah Arendt”), and who are already planning to organise a conference on her at the end of April.
The exhibition will remain open to the public on Saturday 21 and 28 March (from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and during the week in the mornings – by appointment – for guided tours with schools.
“The 80th anniversary of women’s suffrage”, emphasises the Mayor, Francesca Giannì, “is not merely a historical milestone: it is a date that speaks powerfully to our present. In March 1946, Italian women finally entered the country’s democratic life. It was not a concession, but the result of struggles, sacrifices and the decisive contribution made to the Resistance and the reconstruction effort. In Castelfiorentino too, many women – often overlooked in the official narrative – played a decisive role in the liberation and democratic rebirth of our community. Remembering them today means recognising that democracy is born of participation and collective commitment. As an administration, we have sought to revive the memory of these women who not only fought in the Resistance but also contributed actively and continuously to the life of the town of Castelfiorentino. Through their civic commitment, in the years immediately following the Liberation, they provided a fundamental impetus for promoting important social transformations and strengthening the presence of women in local political life. Remembrance is not a rhetorical exercise: it is an act of responsibility. At a time when rights can never be taken for granted, we have a duty to safeguard and strengthen that legacy, continuing to build a fairer, more equal and more inclusive community”.
The “Women Voters” initiative is part of a wider project promoted by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino and funded by the Region of Tuscany. Project partners: Fondazione del Teatro del Popolo, ANPI Castelfiorentino, SPI CGIL Castelfiorentino, Istituto “F. Enriques”, Istituto Comprensivo, Circolo del Cinema “Angelo Azzurro” UICC and the cultural association “La Stanza Rossa”.
