Rome, 20 June 2024 – Published by EDUFBA, publishing house of the Federal University of Bahia-UFBA, the book by Antonella Rita Roscilli, biographer of Zélia Gattai Amado, presents the complete biography of the famous Brazilian writer of Italian origins, retracing her life from her childhood and adolescence in São Paolo until her union with the famous writer Jorge Amado, of whom she was his wife for 56 years. Zélia Gattai Amado, daughter and granddaughter of Italian emigrants, preserved the values and traditions of her ancestors throughout her life, becoming a renowned memoirist.
The book dedicates the first chapter to Italian emigration and to some significant episodes of our emigration, such as that of the “White Slaves” and the Colônia Cecília, also redeeming the memory of forgotten characters, including the Italian Oreste Ristori.
The work, enriched by the introductions of Prof. Evelina Hoisel, the Hon. Fabio Porta, by Prof. Roberto Vecchi and the poet Myriam Fraga, offers readers a detailed analysis of the historical and social context in which the departures and arrivals of Italian emigrants occurred between the 19th and 20th centuries, thus offering a further added value to the already precious content.
Monday 24 June 20245.30-6.30 pm, the presentation hosted by Press room of the Chamber of Deputies, Via della Missione 4 in Rome. is held within the celebrations of 150th anniversary of Italian emigration to Brazilalso promoted in Italy by MP Porta, elected by the Italian communities of South America and President of the Italy-Brazil Interparliamentary Friendship Section, to give value to the profound historical and cultural ties that unite the two countries.
The book, still unpublished in Italyoffers the opportunity to delve into themes of great historical and cultural relevance, as well as to rediscover Italian roots in Brazil through the words and experiences of Zélia Gattai.
They will discuss it together with MP Fabio Porta: Renato Mosca de SouzaAmbassador of Brazil to Italy, San Marino and Malta; Giorgio de MarchisProfessor of Portuguese and Brazilian Literature, Director of the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Roma Tre University; Norberto LombardiDirector of the series “Notebooks on migration”, “Reti”, “I Memoriali”, Cosmo Iannone Editore, and the author Antonella Rita Roscilli. Moderate the meeting: Gianni LattanzioSecretary General ICPE (Institute for Foreign Cooperation).
→ As part of the presentation, an excerpt from the DVD accompanying the first book on Zélia Gattai Amado written in 2005, by Antonella Rita Roscilli, on the occasion of the memoirist’s 90th birthday, and still unpublished in Italy: “Zélia de Euà rodeada de estrelas”, published in Brazil by the publishing house “Casa de Palavras” (FCJA). In her DVD, Zélia di lei tells the story of her family members, Italian emigrants, and exalts the importance of safeguarding her roots, thanks to which she recites proverbs and poems from memory, in Italian and in Venetian and Tuscan dialect. The graphic design of the DVD is by Maria João Amado, the recordings by João Jorge Amado and Maria João Amado. The cover is by the illustrious artist Carybé, like that of the book. ←
