Italy's world of art and culture takes a stand against gender-based violence.

Italy will mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by lighting up the Colosseum in red and projecting the names of femicide victims onto the monument on 25 November.

The powerful symbolic gesture, which will also see Rome's Pyramid of Cestius illuminated in red lights, is part of a series of cultural initiatives aimed at challenging violence against women.

There will be an 18-hour marathon of programming dedicated to the fight against gender-based violence on Isoradio, from 08.00 until midnight, along with other events organised with the support of Italy's culture ministry and Cinecittà film studios.

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Deputy culture minister Lucia Borgonzoni said that "symbolic signs" were required alongside practical measures "to try to stem a scourge such as violence against women" which, in Italy alone, counts one femicide every three days.

This is why, she said, "we have chosen our most famous monument in the world, a symbol of the beauty and history of our country, and we will illuminate it in red, as well as the Pyramid, projecting the names of the victims."

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Borgonzoni was speaking on Monday against the backdrop of the Colosseum along with representatives of the institutions and associations involved, including Differenza Donna, DiRe, and Salvamamme.

“We wanted to host the presentation of this initiative in the Curia Julia, which was the seat of the Roman senate, where women could not enter" - said the director of the Colosseum archaeological park Alfonsina Russo - "Today we have a female president of the senate, and in here we are mostly women."

Photo Corriere della Sera