International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: All the Gonzaga Campus Activities

For the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Gonzaga Campus promoted educational, artistic, and cultural activities at all levels of school.

Every year, November 25th represents a key date for reflection, education, and raising awareness among the younger generations on the issue of gender-based violence. The Gonzaga Campus —true to its educational mission and the centrality of the individual—has once again offered a rich program of initiatives involving the Italian School and the International School , with dedicated programs, interdisciplinary activities, and moments of guided reflection.

An educational alliance that translates into voice, awareness and responsibility .

Activities for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

General flashmob

The entire campus, starting with the primary school, was invited to wear a red mark on their face as a universal symbol of the fight against gender violence.

Fairy Tales in Red: Reading to Understand

Teachers Susanna Princiotta and Gaetana Minnone led class 3B in reading excerpts from the book Fiabe in Rosso by Lorenzo Naia and Roberta Rossetti, classic fairy tales rewritten to explore the issue of violence against women and promote critical thinking even in pre-adolescence.

Circle time in third grade

Teacher Daniela Marchese addressed the importance of this international day with a guided circle time discussion , in which she encouraged the children to recognize the qualities of their key adults (mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc.). The conclusion was reached that both boys and girls each have positive characteristics, and the themes of "respect" and safety (everyone deserves to be treated kindly), even when "we're angry," were addressed with practical examples.

A video made by students

Professor Emio Cinardo promoted the production of a video dedicated to the fight against violence against women by seventh-grade middle school classes (ITA–ISP), a creative and heartfelt contribution to give a voice to the youngest.

Rosa Parks: An Example of Courage

Professor Rossella Valentina Vedda led an activity in English on the figure of Rosa Parks , with videos, readings, comprehension quizzes and a discussion on her role in the fight for civil rights and the importance of female courage.

Music and Emotions: "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo

Professor Valentina Coppola proposed an active listening and reflection activity for the M3 class (ISP) using the song "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo. Emotional drawings, lyric analysis, and musical activities addressed the themes of respect and healthy relationships.

Female Art: A Resurfacing Perspective

Professor Giuseppe Pulvirenti offered a reflection on the role of women in art and their historical erasure from official canons. The exhibition began with Gaetano Pesce's celebrated UP5 "La Mamma"—a symbol of the contradiction between the female archetype and the captivity of prejudice—to open a discussion on stereotypes and their cultural construction. The exhibition expanded to include figures such as Leonora Carrington, Claude Cahun, Marina Abramović, Ana Mendieta, and ORLAN , as well as contemporary voices such as Cindy Sherman and Yayoi Kusama .

Women in Hispanic American culture

The Spanish teachers have led an annual journey through literature, art, science, and society, expanding the perspective on women's rights beyond the issue of violence, until March 8th.

Our hand against violence

Led by Professor Maria Teresa Cataldo, the first-year classes celebrated the day by watching an introductory video dedicated to the Mirabal Sisters, icons of the struggle against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. After the video, the students answered comprehension questions.

Next, a creative activity was proposed: each student drew the silhouette of their hand and inserted a meaningful universal word inside it.

Moments of reflection in third grade, section A

Professor Maria Cinquemani and Professor Adriana Messina had the students reflect on the day's theme, at the end of which they were asked to draw pictures or write reflections to share with the class.

Female voices in philosophy

Professor Carola Calabrese proposed a reflection on female philosophical thought through figures such as Antigone, Hypatia , and the woman reconstructed in Socrates in Love , giving space to a critical dialogue on the cultural roots of inequality.

Sports and gender roles

Professor Chiara Collura addressed the topic of gender roles in sport with students, analyzing the causes and developments of the gender gap and real-life cases of female athletes who reported psychological or physical abuse in the sporting context.

Red flag and green flag

Channel 2A, with Professor Lo Iacono, explored the positive and negative behaviors students adopt in their romantic relationships through a guided conversation based on their experiences.

They created a poster with the "red flags" (warning signs) and the "green flags" (positive aspects) of each romantic relationship, to reflect on what can cause violence against women.

Women in Science

Professor Francesca Dioguardi promoted " Women in science: stereotypes and never-achieved equality" , a class debate with fourth-year high school students.

Cyber violence

During her Computer Science lectures, Professor Francesca Riccobono presented various forms of cyber violence against women, such as cyberstalking, deepfakes, doxing , and so on. These are all phenomena made even more insidious by the use of false online identities.

The case of Cristina Irrera, a young Italian influencer who is experiencing this type of violence on social media, was presented. Starting with a complaint filed with the Postal Police, a discussion was initiated with the young people to generate ideas for preventing and addressing this type of online violence.

Discussions on Gender-Based Violence for Middle & Diploma Programmes

Students in the Middle and Diploma Programme explored the topic of gender-based violence (GBV) through guided discussions on inequalities, stereotypes, and social dynamics that can generate forms of gender-based violence.

The Roots of Feminism

The Middle 4 classes studied the birth of the feminist movements in Europe and the United States, including suffragettes and suffragists, to understand how the achievements of women's rights are the result of historical struggles.

Poetry and Art as Social Complaint (Middle 5)

Under the guidance of Professor Maria Veronica Romeo , the M5 students worked on the poem Canto delle donne by Alda Merini , from which creative works were born using the Caviadrage method: texts and images to give voice to emotions and reflections.

A Woman by Sibilla Aleramo (D2)

Again with Professor Romeo, the Diploma Programme students analysed the novel Una donna (1906), delving into the themes of abuse, shotgun marriage and writing as an act of denunciation and rebirth.

Educating about respect: our responsibility

The activities offered by the Gonzaga Campus are not isolated initiatives: they are part of an ongoing, cross-disciplinary process deeply rooted in the school's mission. The goal is clear: to educate students about respect, recognize the value of every life, and develop informed and responsible citizens .

November 25th isn't just a celebration: it's a commitment that continues every day in the classrooms, hallways, laboratories, and in the relationships we build together.