Mafia

Review: Encounter with Giovanni Impastato

This post comes to you from Cultura21

On the 2nd of November 2011 the Sicilian Giovanni Impastato, who fights against the mafia, was invited in Düsseldorf and Cologne, in order to present his book Resistere a Mafiopoli (Resist Mafiopolis) at the Heinrich-Heine-University and at the Filmhaus Cologne. In this book Giovanni Impastato tells the story of his brother Peppino Impastato to the music journalist Franco Vassia (co-editor). Peppino Impastato was an activist in the fight against the mafia and was murdered by the Cosa nostra in 1978. After the death of his older brother Giovanni Impastato went on fighting against the mafia together with his friends and family.

The encounter with Giovanni Impastato, his touching story and his plea for a nonviolent and democratic society have moved the students at the University Düsseldorf as well as the mainly italian audience at the Fimhaus Cologne. After the book presentation of two hours, Giovanni Impastato and his guests continued their conversation with a glass of wine.

The presentation was organised by Prof. Vittoria Borsò and Aurora Rodonò of the Institute for Romance studies at the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf in cooperation with Cultura21 (Davide Brocchi) and the Filmhaus Cologne.

Links: http://www.peppinoimpastato.com/index.asp and http://www.centroimpastato.it/

This post is also available in: German

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Planet Plus Funny.

I’d like to take an opportunity to salute some minor heroes of the eco-art movement. These are people who aren’t neccessarily attending conferences or participating in exhibitions. They might not even consider themselves eco-artists: they aren’t taking it too seriously. I’m talking about funny folks.

Anyone who has seen Rivers and Tides or any of Andy Goldswothy’s work will appreciate the journey of the Trash Artist, above. Equally worthy contributions to the field include Casual Mafia’s In My Prius, and an in-depth report on the current ToFLU epidemic.

Thank you for taking the time to use your skills to make fun of us: any movement that can’t engage in a little healthy self-mockery is probably doomed to fail.

Go to the Green Museum