It was a “magical” evening, as the many present who attended to support the service that the Zonta Taranto Club dedicated to the non-profit organization ” Gli Amici di Manaus ” liked to define it on the evening of Friday 2 December at the Salone degli Specchi of the Palazzo di Città of Taranto.

“Where words fail … music speaks”, began the president of ZCT Evelyn Zappimbulso who, quoting Beethoven, invited everyone to listen with the universal language of music which, even on difficult topics, can make inroads in a vast audience and varied.
The evening, conducted by the Zontian partner of ceremonies Silvia Abeille , inserted in the 16 days of activism, starting from the motivations of the day of November 25, established to draw attention to gender-based violence, wanted to celebrate the pact of alliance that Zonta Club Taranto has closely with the associations active in the area that have been active for the protection of human rights for years.


Zonta member Silvia Abeille Master of Ceremonies

In particular with the non-profit organization “Gli Amici di Manaus”, which operates on various fronts: from the food emporium, to social-health accompaniment, to active support for the congregation of nuns in Manaus, up to the help of “neighbors”, families in difficulty in our area. The service of the evening, entirely dedicated to the non-profit organization, benefited from the special donation of another association. Fabio Matacchiera, president of the Taranto Antidioxin Fund, joining the charitable purposes and sharing the mission of Zonta, wanted to pay homage to the president Giovanni De Giorgio and the vice president Adriano D’Altriof the non-profit organization “Gli Amici di Manaus”, with a large sum of as well as the presence of numerous activists of his association.

An evening of music signed a synergy of actions that are transformed into a network of support and help between associations that have the good of people at heart, therefore of the entire community.


Fabio Matacchiera President Antidioxin Fund Taranto

The event was enlivened by the performance of music teachers and Corsicans who, between a score and a piece, were accompanied by the applause of the whole hall. The musical curtain was opened by Simone Mairo from the piano class of Prof. Palmira Esposito (Zonta member); the Parsifal Polyphonic Choir then performed, directed by Maestro Andrea Crastolla , president Annarita Di Sansebastiano and vice president Anna Sturino (member of Zonta), with maestro Daniele Chiappini on the piano and prof.ssa Francesca Schirinzi on the violin. Finally the exhibition of the very young students of the‘String Orchestra of the Liceo Musicale “Archita” of Taranto, conducted by Prof. Cosima Meluccui , who wished those present a Holy Christmas on the notes of the Pastorale Tarantina.

Choir Parsifal Maestro Crastolla

Class of Strings from the Liceo Archite Prof.ssa Melucci

Maestro Daniele Chiappini on piano and Prof. Francesca Schirinzi on violin

Parsifal Choir President Annarita Disansebastiano and Vice President Anna Sturino (member zonta)

Archite high school string class

Among the supporters of the initiative are also the women of the newly established association ” Opportunity for Equality “, with the president Sabrina Pontrelli and the President of the Commission for Equal Opportunities, the City Councilor Bianca Boshniaku.

President of the Commission for Equal Opportunities Boshniaku Bianca

As foreseen by the international statute, the concert was started and closed with the ringing of the Zonta bell and the reading of the Zontian creed by the youngest member Rossella Galeone .

Member Rossella Galeone_reading of the Zontian Creed

This year Zonta Club Taranto did not join the thousand demonstrations of November 25, letting a date that is now too often inflated and abused for the use and consumption of propaganda slogans flow in silence which, with the spotlights and microphones turned off, fall into oblivion of anniversaries to be dusted off the next year. But he wanted to deliver his message to a charity concert, which in any case falls within the 16 days of Zontian activism.

In fact, there are several initiatives that Zonta Club Taranto puts in place in this period and which continue throughout the year. Together with the non-profit organization “Gli Amici di Manaus” it will support local welfare initiatives; the project “Building the Culture of Respect” will continue for the tenth consecutive year in the schools of the Ionian area, starting from next December 12 and which will involve the students of the Hotel Institute of Pulsano with the criminal lawyer Antonella De Marco (Zonta member). On 17 December it will support the “Multicentrum” project of the Casa di Sofia with a donation, a charity event of the “Voce dei Bambini”, organized by the principal Gianni Tartaglia, now in its sixth edition.

The activism of Zonta Taranto members has been working to the bitter end, with passion and courage, since 1977, the year of its foundation. The members therefore wanted to celebrate their over forty-year action in the field with a charity concert, in defense and support of women’s rights.

Members Zonta Club Taranto

“ Sometimes words are not enough. And then you need the colors. And the shapes. And the notes. And the  emotions ”_Alessandro Baricco
https://www.corrierepl.it/2022/12/03/musica-condivisione-e-rete-tra-associazioni-per-il-concerto-di-beneficenza-di-zonta-club-taranto/?doing_wp_cron=1670613273.9718890190124511718750

Realizing that updated statistical data on violence is severely lacking in Hong Kong and globally, the Zonta Club of Kowloon sponsored the ‘Hong Kong Women’s Experience of Violence 2021’ research. Scientific research on domestic and sexual violence is needed now more than ever.

Findings from the research revealed that 75% of the women experiencing serious sexual violence “do not react” to the abuse, while around 40% of victims do not seek help. The club’s communications with non-governmental organizations in the industry also showed that women endure violence for a long time before they seek help, which is an average of three to four years.

To encourage victims to come forward, the club arranged three advertorials on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The posters will include statistics from their finding and information on three women’s helplines that will provide one-stop support, including advice on legal protection and emotional support and accompany the victim throughout the entire help-seeking process. The club released the ads on three big local media: South China Morning Post’s Facebook news, Ming Pao Daily and Sing Tao Daily.

The club strongly encourages victims to seek help. As societal values in Hong Kong are changing, family violence should be considered wrongdoings.

To maximize the amount of exposure the Zonta Says NO campaign can generate and create a bigger impact, the Zonta Club of Houston, USA, made 16 signs for each day of the 16 Days of Activism, with a club member sponsoring one. A sign will be posted once a day with a quote or statistic about gender-based violence.

To see the signs, visit the club’s Facebook page.