An oasis of nature and memory has blossomed in Andria, where 188 trees and shrubs, of 55 different species, have given life to an urban park of 3600 square metres. The “Vincenza Angrisano” Green Oasis, from a project of the Environment and Health Forum “Remember and Respect”, is a warning against violence against women and a tribute to the memory of a victim of femicide. The woman from Andria, in fact, fell due to the murderous hand of her husband: the event greatly shook the community, which rallied around her children and relatives, with a series of initiatives. Created in collaboration with the Mental Health Center of the ASL BT, the oasis was built on abandoned municipal land, thanks to the work of nine users of the centre, the volunteers of the Forum and the agronomist Ambrogio Lamesta. A commitment that actively involved citizens, who donated trees and whose names will be remembered in a future active citizenship project.
«Mental illness must no longer be considered a tool to push away – commented Filippo Iovine, head of the ASL Center – but a resource to include and bring these people back to having the dignity of citizens. Indeed, they are not the ones who should be excluded, because with their work they have restored dignity to places that citizens have abandoned and forgotten.”
Three red benches, donated by the Municipality, educational institutions and private individuals, decorate the park, symbolizing a strong and unequivocal message against gender violence. The inauguration, with the moving participation of the mayor Giovanna Bruno and the regional councilor Grazia Di Bari, was attended by civil, religious, military, school authorities and associations, together for a common goal: improving the quality of air and life in the city, protecting green spaces and transforming them into places of education and collective enjoyment. «It was important – commented the president of the Forum Giovanni Massaro – to complete the projects we had planned to carry forward, especially those linked to air quality. Since last July we have positioned five control units that evaluate the quality of the air we breathe in the city. The other commitment was to create this first urban park. Our intention is to make others as the Administration makes other spaces available.”
The “Vincenza Angrisano” Green Oasis represents a significant milestone for Andria, a tangible sign of commitment to memory, legality and environmental protection, a green lung that invites remembrance and respect.
