Radio FILEF

On this week's episode...La rassegna stampa di questa settimana (this week's headlines):We began by recapping the successful cineforum screening of Pasqualino Settebellezze and the conversations and discussions that were had, our next movie is coming up in September on the 12th we will be continuing our Gian Maria Volonte' retrospective and screening the classic Sacco And Vanzetti. Then we spoke about Melongate and the news stories that were swept under the rug by the manufactured scandal...Gambling reforms, weak and ineffectual with a Labour party that has been bought out by iots corporate sponsors and has no problems wheeling and dealing with the opposition to make lives for people with gambling addictions continue to be drenched in misery. We read a translated version from the Australia Institute, you can read the original here. NDIS reforms, infiltrated by tech leviathans Palantir and the looming threat of a Robodebt 2.0 inflicted upon some of our most vulnerable comrades, the class war is in full effect on this issue and the privatisation of the care sector is not enough it must be adjudicated by an algorithim from a company that has developed software to cage migrants in the US and target and bomb whole residential blocks in Palestine and Lebanon. We read a translated version of the article that is penned by Claudia Weisenberger for Michael West Media, read the original here.  Working Holiday Visa stop, the labour governments quiet so called "pause" is another ina line of semantic inversions where words stop meaning what they are meant to be. In the new move minister Tony Bourke has effectively halted the Working Holiday Visa program with many applicants left in limbo, visa rejections adding a further layer of anxiety and uncertainty to a system plagued with accusations of misuses, modern day slavery and human rights abuses. We disucss with our gues Daniela about her experiences coming here on a working holiday visa and the philosophy vs reality of the 88 days farm work requirement that all migrant workers must face. We read briefly from the ABC article that highlights the main points, you can find it here. Song - Il Canzoniere delle Lame di Bologna - Yankee, Tornatevene A Casa AEU Bargaining update, we read the translated version of the latest press releases about the news of AEU Victoria members voting to accept the pay rise offer that the state government has returned with but will continue the fight for the conditions that are not included in the latest deal. Our very own Stella gives the listeners some context for teaching conditions and the shape of the struggles that educators face on the daily. You can find the original here. This brought us to the main portion of the program where we interview our guest Daniela about what her experiences are working for council and being a delegate for the ASU and what their current campaign is going, how it's building a campaign across many councils and different types of work and what kind of conditions council workers are facing from aged care, child care and waste management services and how the union is addressing their material conditions. Listeners can expect to be surprised at the conditons for early childhood educators and the conditons they face and how the vast majority of council workers engaged in this work as well as the children they care for are often sidelined to the benefit of the profit motive. We weave this thread though personal experiences that Daniela has had started from her very first days in Australia on the working holiday scheme and how that led her to some seriously dangerous situations. This will be a topic that we will continue to unpack over the next few years and we will be collecting stories in this regard to compile a report of sorts as well as an archive of stories from the community, if you would like to contribute feel free to contact us via our socials or email. Thats all for this week! See you all next week!!Stay Antifascist!!

In this week's episode...Rassegna stampa (this week's news headlines):You may have noticed that this week we chose not to start the program with our typical intro and start instead with Francesco Guccini performing his song "Incontro" in 1973. That's because he passed away last week and we thought we would pay tribute to one of the legends of Italian cantautorato. He leaves behind an amazing discography and a resounding impact on Italian culture and music around the world. Vittorio then updates the listeners on the happenings of the Anan Yaeesh trial that is ongoing in Italy alongside the immoral criminal prosecutions against other members of the Italian/Palestinian community including Mohammed Hannoun, President of the Palestinian Association of Italy, as well as others that are being put on trial by the Italian state on trumped up charges to silence the Palestine Solidarity movement that has been rapidly growing on the Italian peninsula. In Yaeesh case the grounds for the sentencing have been finally filed after a process that has dragged on with all the beauracratic weight over the last 2 and half years. There will be an appeal forthcoming, we will keep listeners updated on this as we have been since this case started. You can find the original statements here and here.  The 70th Anniversary of the Marcinelle Mine Disaster, the anniversary of an important commemoration has just passed - it's been 69 years since the Marcinelle tragedy when on August 8, 1956, a fire broke out in the Bois du Cazier mine that took the lives of 262 workers, 136 of whom were Italian emigrants who had left to escape the poverty of post-war Italy. These workers found conditions that were far from ideal: especially those who migrated to Belgium and France were forced to live in dilapidated, damp, dirty barracks that were practically unlivable; the emigrants were segregated because of their nationality and suffered acts of racism every day. In front of some rental houses and shops there were signs reading "No dogs and Italians allowed." Marcinelle represents a very important part of the history of Italian emigration and labor rights for us, even more so in this Italy of the Jobs Act and precariousness, where people continue to die as they did 70 years ago. People die killed by work in all those areas where work is precarious, exploited, devalued and without safety protections.We read out the translated statement by Renato Turturro originally published on Osservatorio Repressione which you can find here.  National Day of Italian Labour in the World (Giornata nazionale del sacrificio del lavoro italiano nel mondo) 8 Agosto. Ccommerorating Marcinelle but also amazingly a Berlusconi era day, beginning in 2001. The political roots of the founder of the day originates from Mirko Tramglia. Before serving as a minister, he had a controversial past as a volunteer for the fascist Italian Social Republic (RSI) during WWII and was a long-time member of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI). This further highlights the contested nature of historical memory and how the class struggle is waged in present but importantly in how we remember the past. This leads the crew to a discussion about the death at work rates in Italy compared to Australia and the rest of the world, some staggering numbers that in just the first 6 months of the year in Italy 400+ people have died on worksites.  Tobia rounds out the rassegna stampa by reading our translation of the recent Jeff Sparrow article published on Deepcut "Why 'social cohesion' is a dangerous phrase in Australian politics". You can find the original piece here.   Radio FILEF alumni and COMITES Secretary Massimo Calosi drops in on a phone call to talk to us about the COMITES position of the announced Italian electoral reforms that we have been reporting on for the last month which see the reduction in the number of seats of representation in parliament from Italian communities and residents living abroad reduced to 4 seats internationally. Amalgamating large sections of vastly different political realities and coditions vying for fewer seats at the proverbial table. Song - Banda Bassotti - BarboniAs we touch on the macro we come back down to the grassroots with Massimo to talk about a situation that is very close to his heart, indeed from his home of Rome. The famous and renowned centro sociale (social centre) SPIN TIME has been forcibly expelled from the building they have been occupying for the last few decades, housing many over 70 familes and carrying out many basic functions of education, provision of primary goods and social activities. Massimo lays out right wing demagogue head of state Meloni and her attack on social centres around Italy and how this impact the now over 200 people that are camped outside SPIN TIME in a rolling protest to regain entry into the building which as you will hear in the interview has had come to side an unlikely coalition of faith leaders and community representatives. Here are some articles to deepen your understanding of what is happening at SPIN TIME:qua, qui and la. Song - Kalascima - 8 Agosto

In this week's episode...We are joined by Mililma May, Sarah Kell and Carla.Ceuta and Anti-Migrant Racism in Italy and Australia First up we discuss anti-migrant racism in Europe and Italy with the response of right-wing politicians to the recent border crossings from Morocco to the Spanish colonial enclave of Ceuta. In particular we look at the Italian government's response with the suspension of the EU free travel agreement between Spain and Italy, the oportunistic rhetoric about keeping borders secure and Italian citizens safe, and the parallels to anti-migrant racism in Australia. 46th Anniversary of the 2 August 1980 Bombing of Bologna Centrale Train StationMarking 46th anniversary of the neo-fascist bombing of Bologna Centrale train station that killed 85 people and injured hundreds, we discuss the hypocritical commentary of Giorgia Meloni and her far right party Brothers of Italy. As almost a fixed appointment each year, Meloni and her ministers continue to avoid acknowledging that the culprits were neo-fascists. Even more damning as has emerged in recent years are the connections between those convicted and some members of Meloni's party Brothers of Italy.Theatre and Politics of FILEF Sydney in the 1980s and The Importance of Language and Intercultural Solidarity on Aboriginal LandFor the second half of the program we speak to Sarah Kell about her involvement with FILEF Sydney in the 1980s and in particular with FILEF's Italian Community Theatre Group. Sarah speaks about important role of theatre and politics especially in the lead up to the 1988 protest against the Bicentenary celebrations held in Sydney.We then listen to an audio recording of the FILEF Sydney play from 1988 that Sarah was involved in, Storie in Cantiere. Thanks to Tobia who put this together for our 6 August 2025 episode with narration by Bruno. You can listen to the full audio here.We come back to speak to Sarah about her work in First Nations' bilingual education in the Northern Territory. Sarah and Mililma also speak about the ongoing impact of colonialism on communities and languages, and the importance of a world beyond English where language and intercultural solidarity can be an antidote to the demagogy of racist right wing politicians in Australia, Italy and beyond.Listen to the full interview hereMusicBologna - Francesco Guccini

In this week's episode...Weekly news roundup:We have a brief run down of some of the news from the week: - Pastasciutta Antifascista WeekendReporting back from the hugely successful FILEF events both in Sydney and here in Melbourne, FILEF Sydney organised their annual event and had an amazing over 300 people attend!! Here in Melbourne we celebrated our first ever Pastasciutta Antifascista by watching the Gianni Amelio Film "I Sette Fratelli Cervi" which is a dramatic retelling of the events that bring this day through history and to our present day through the film's protagonist Aldo Cervi played by the legendary Gian Maria Volonte'.  - Abby Martin - Earth's Greatest Enemy Some of the FILEF Naarm/Melbourne crew went to watch the phenomenal documentary by American journalist and activist Abby Martin and report back from this eye opening documentary that dives deep into the ruling class green washing of the climate crisis and just how insidious the US military industrial complex is when it comes to being by far the worlds largest polluter not just of emissions but the many many ways this entity poisons the earth as they seek to maintain their imperial stranglehold on the world!Abby Martin is currently on tour with the documentary and we will be screening a community screening soon, make sure to follow us right here on the home of radical radio at 3cr and on our socials!Pietro Lunetto Interview:Listen hereThe main portion of today's episode comprises of a conversation with FILEF Nazionale Rep, Pietro Lunetto, long time activist with the European section FILEF and currently the national rep the conversations covers timely topics like the importance of migrant led migrant advocacy and the situation regarding new Italian government legislation. The impact that these deeply problematic and undemocratic fascist policy reforms are having on large sections of Italian society and how the parrallels are present in the situations we encounter in Australia with the slide right by the major parties as well as the fringe parties. We end the conversation by touching briefly on the history and responsibility of FILEF in organsing and advocating for real change in migrant spaces and about the organisations universalist principles that guide our actions towards the building of a new and better world for all!Song - Lisetta Lucchini - Bresci, l'anarchico tornato dall'AmericaGaetano Bresci AnniversaryPiero reads out the translated history of the historic action by Italian Anarchist Gaetano Bresci and his killing of King Umberto I. The original published by InfoAut can be found here, translation below:On July 21, 1900, the King of Italy, Umberto I, reaches—almost as in every summer—their residence in Monza, a city where he lives and meets his lover, Eugenia.On July 29, it is a hot Sunday in Brianza, and after dinner the king leaves his home to attend a high-society event: the awarding of prizes to the athletes of the Forti e Liberi gymnastics society.After the ceremony, Umberto I gets into his carriage to return to the royal residence, but, recognizing among the crowd lined up around it an officer, he stands up to greet him—and it is at that moment that he is hit by three revolver shots.The king had already been the target of two assassination attempts in the preceding years: the first in Naples in 1878, when he was struck by a dagger blow delivered by Giovanni Passante, a unemployed man; and the second in 1897, when Pietro Acciarito from Artena, also unemployed, had tried to stab him.While the king has already lost consciousness and the carriage speeds toward the royal villa, a man is immediately arrested amid the crowd, without offering any resistance and without making any statements: he is Gaetano Bresci, an anarchist.Gaetano Bresci is 31 years old. He is a silk weaver born in Prato, active in the attempt to overthrow the miserable conditions in which he and his family live, as well as those of all the peasant and urban proletariat, since his teenage years. Already arrested and confined for a year on Lampedusa following participation in a strike, in 1897 he decided to leave Italy and move to America, first to New York and later to Paterson.During his stay in America, however, Gaetano continues to follow the political events in his native land, and in particular he is deeply shocked by the brutal repression carried out by the royal army against the people who—now exhausted—had stormed the bread ovens in Milan in 1898. Following this uprising (the “protest of the stomach”), in fact, more than one hundred people were killed and hundreds were wounded, while General Fiorenzo Bava-Beccaris—the commander of the operation—was awarded the Cross of the Military Order of the House of Savoy.Even today, it is not known how and when Bresci’s idea of regicide took shape, but it is very likely that theories claiming he was selected from a group of American anarchists should be ruled out, just as the conspiracy theories supported by Giolitti also should be.Bresci, defended by lawyer Francesco Saverio Merlino, will be tried for regicide and sentenced to life imprisonment. On January 23, 1901, he will be transferred to the Santo Stefano prison near Ventotene, where he will be given the prisoner number 515.He will wear the uniform of life-sentence prisoners, with black insignia indicating those guilty of the most serious crimes, and his feet will be bound with thick chains.On May 22, 1901, a doctor will be called to his cell to verify his death: the official version will be suicide, but the circumstances surrounding his death will raise many doubts. Rumors inside the penitentiary will claim that three guards burst into the cell, immobilized him with a blanket, and then beat him to death (in prison jargon, this is called “fare il santantonio”).A “state crime” would therefore be the punishment for a crime against the state, despite the death penalty having been abolished by the Zanardelli Code in 1889.Mohammed Hannoun quotes/speech (President of Palestinian Association in Italy)Francesca Albanese commentary on Abderrahim Fakir:the UN special rapparteur to the Occupied Palestinian Territories gives a chilling statement to Italian news agency "ala" where she puts forward the notion of the "Israelization" of Italian society, linking undemocratic policy making, militarisation of police and security forces and the outcomes they produce, in this case the state killing of an innocent man, Adderahim Fakir. APAN Webinar - Free Palestine - Fundraiser:APAN put together a fundraiser and panel discussion webinar with Francesca Albanese and Chris Sidoti you can find out more on APAN socials here. No TAV:Margherita reads out an article that was featured on Contropiano setting the context for the events we saw transpire over the weekend regarding the No TAV moevemtn but more importantly the Italian and even to som eextent global mainstream media reporting of soemthing that the local community has been fighting now for well over 3 decades not to have invasive, expansive, environment destroying development for military purposes on prisitine land!you can find the original article here, translation below:TAV is functional for military mobility, not for the country’s developmentby Linda MaggioriOn the TAV Turin–Lyon: no. Let’s not call it “high-speed.” High-speed from Milan to Paris already exists, for a long time, and it’s wonderfulSix hours of convenient travel for 45 euros. In September we’ll go with the whole family. It could be improved and incentivized, but it exists and it runs on existing tracks. They could also improve regional connections from Italy to France, but the line is already thereThe TAV is only and exclusively for military mobility. A European plan that has existed for years, but every year it becomes more insistent and more threatening.The European Commission pushes to adapt every logistics infrastructure to war, allocates billions, and once everything is done, the war can break out, the European Parliament will vote on it soon—get informed.The TAV is part of the Mediterranean Corridor, one of the major transport axes of the European TEN-T network connecting the Iberian Peninsula to the border between Hungary and Ukraine. Make trains that exceed the clearance gauge—military convoys—pass through tunnels sized for tanks, from west to east, toward Ukraine. In Pontedera, La Spezia, Genoa, in every country there are works to adapt ports, railways, stations, tracks, roads.Thousands, hundreds of other works—maybe smaller ones too, but all for the same purpose: war. Emers is the red button: any state can press it, and our roads and railways will be filled with marching armies. Civilian workers will lose protections and will be treated as military personnelEverything is already being preparedThe TAV Turin–Lyon makes no sense for commercial and civilian reasons. Maybe once it did—but then it became clear that it’s a damage and a cost disproportionate to the benefit. Now it serves only one thing: war.When people talk about “guerrilla”—or, better, sabotage—even if violent, against this major project, let’s write exactly how things are.The TAV is not a train, it’s not a red-arrow train or a TGVThe TAV is military mobility. It’s warAnd if once a year, in broad daylight, on an established day known by the police, sabotage happens… let’s call it what it is: sabotage of military mobility. You may not like it (I don’t like the black smoke either), we may prefer other methods, but let’s call it by its proper name.No Tav Press Conference snippet - Nicoletta DosioWe close out the program this week by listening to an excerpt of the press conference by the No TAV movement of legendary No TAV activist and inspiration Nicoletta Dosio adressign the press conference after their hugely attended event on the weekend and where no mainstream cameras were to be seen. This is a story we will be following closely and will provide an episode dedicated to the history of the movement and the context that it was born from. Following you will find the press statement they released ont their page after the weekend. Link to the whole press conference here. Link to statement from the No TAV movement in Italian here, translation below. https://www.notav.info/post/ceravamo-ci-siamo-e-ci-saremo-sempreFull translated statement:We were there, we are here, and we will always be here. Always.Let’s talk about violence. The violence of those who, for 30 years, have refused to listen to the Valsusa’s arguments based on objective technical data.The violence of a schizophrenic and criminal economic system that supports the construction of colossal, useless projects to fuel the greed of a few at the expense of emergencies that should be priorities (climate change, environmental fragility, pandemic threats, increasingly widespread poverty, a public health system on the brink of collapse, inadequate education, the right to housing)—and for which, instead, funds are always lacking. The violence of those who repress rather than educate, of those who deprive younger generations of any form of hope. The hypocritical violence of a subservient and short-sighted media system. The violence of those who speak based on hearsay, because properly informing oneself takes effort. Let’s talk about it, at last.Because once again, we’ve been looking at the finger instead of the moon. We’ve been tearing our hair out over what happened in Val di Susa at the hands of so-called “Black Bloc” members, demonizing a cross-sectional struggle that has lasted for decades and carefully avoiding any analysis of its underlying causes. There’s no such thing as the “Black Bloc”—no Martians, no multinational conspiracy to sow chaos. We’re all just men, women, young people, and older folks. “Go ahead and protest, as long as the construction sites keep moving forward!” say the TAV supporters on both the right and the left. What a pipe dream! Every day we fight to stop the work. Every day we face off against the engineers, the administrators, and the Unione Montana. They think they can “buy off” the mayors with compensation. Money, incidentally, that reaches the people of Valsusa thanks to the No Tav protests.To the law enforcement unions—who are not the target of the No TAV movement but who have been providing 24-hour protection for the construction sites since as far back as 2011—we say: Aren’t you fed up? Aren’t you tired? You come from all over Italy to work your shifts—first in Chiomonte, then in San Didero, and now even in Salbertrand and Susa… how far do you want to take this? How much longer do you want to be sent on grueling shifts far from your homes and loved ones? To act as security guards for a private company?You are not our target; we are not violent; we do not want anyone’s blood—neither the police’s nor our own. We are simply and consistently reacting to the devastation being imposed on us. We’ve been saying this for three decades now: our territory is at capacity. We’re crisscrossed by an extremely disruptive (and expensive!) highway, two state highways, and a railroad line where the TGV and Frecciarossa trains pass several times a day, back and forth, from Turin to Lyon (or rather, from Milan to Paris). The Valsusa community wants only one thing: to live quietly and in peace in a healthy environment.On the other side, who do we have? A cross-party business clique—the party of cement and bribes—that is already planning a new route beneath the moraine hill between Avigliana, Rivoli, and Rivalta. Yet another example of land consumption and a promise of future water instability. To oppose all this—and to advocate for a land-use policy that is prudent and attentive to the needs of its inhabitants—as already announced at the Alta Felicità Festival, we are preparing for a new march on October 3, between Sant’Ambrogio and Avigliana. Let the “madamine” of the moment take to the streets all they want; we do not want this project.We were there, we are here, and we will be there. Always.No Tav MovementClosing remarks:Our next film night as part of the FILEF Film Club is on Friday 14 August at Democritus - screening Pasqualino Settebellezze make sure to be there to discuss what will surely be a memorable movie night for all involved!Any info you can follow us on Instagram @filef_melbourne Song - Medium Beer - No TAV

On this weeks program… State Homicide of Abderrahim Fakir Roundup: - Redazione di Radio Onda D’Urto- How the story is being reported across Australia and the world- Recording of press conference with Senator Ilaria Cucchi (Sister of Stefano Cucchi, who was beaten by police after being arrested and later died from his injuries in custody, there is a movie based on these events called Sotto La Mia Pelle // Under My Skin), Fakir’s niece and Fakir family lawyer. Pastasciutta Antifascist History and Responsibility: This weekend marks the anniversary of Pastasciutta Antifascista, the historic date where the Cervi from Emilia celebrated the arrest of Mussolini by cooking pasta and distributing it to the masses, in a day that is symbol of antifascist resistance even from a bite of pasta at your fork. The story of this period of time Italy sees the fascist regime go to war against people and against pasta! Ending with the return of pasta to the shores of Italy brought by the Italian diaspora migrated abroad! FILEF Melbourne will be hosting an event at Democritus on Saturday at 6pm, join us with a entry by donation screening of I Sette Fratelli Cervi, followed by a post film discussion. Pasta will be available as will be drinks and gelato! Come down and join us at Democritus, 583 High Street Thornbury at 6pm! If you find yourself in NSW, FILEF Sydney also have an event on at Addi Road Gumbraborra Hall, 124 Addison Rd, Marrickville. Italian Law Reforms: A roundup of the most recent Italian reforms and the opening of a spot on the program to keep a line open to broaden the discussion around the issues especially as they impact heavily on the voting rights of the Italian diaspora.  AEU Strike: Education area specialist and FILEF host Stella updates the listeners on the AEU strike actions that have been building up over the last few months, invigorating the sectors union membership and taking the fight to the government. MUA Campaign updates: Carnival cruise ships campaign Oil rig decommissioning petition and campaign 25th Anniversary of the G8 at Genova: Song - Andrea Sigona - Per Non DimentiCarlo 25 years ago this week the streets of Genova were turned into a maelstrom of chaos as activists prepared to contrast the coming neoliberal policy reform of globalisation and international finance capital, the state unleashed a whirlwind of repression which ended up in the beatings of thousands and the police killing of Carlo Giuliani. The crew remembers the week highlighting some key moment in Italy including statements by Carlo’s sister that links the state killing of Fakir, neoliberal policies and the drive to war under the auspices of security and what this all means in a time when the genocide in Gaza is being erased from the headlines.You can read all of FILEF Australia's reporting from the time here in the Nuovo Paese archive.  Also included in the report is various testimonies from people that were present at the time, including a lot of foreign nationals that witnessed and reported on the state violence. Important to remember moments like this as the conditions of the world currently require us to channel the radical legacy of the organising that was happening around the g8 as Elena Giuliani reminds us the fights of then are the fights of now! Song - Aban - Lettera A Uno Sbirro feat. Jake La Furia

In this week's episode...Weekly news roundup:We have a brief run down of some of the news from the week: - World Cup update - Italian electoral reforms: In depth discussion about the new electoral reforms that sees the proposal to change the representation for Italians living abroad within the parliament, reducing them to just 2 positions internationally to represent the entirety of the Italian diaspora that is eligible to vote. In the studio we also had a recently returned Italian comrade Lucas from Castelfranco Veneto who gave an in depth analysis on the local elections in his town which produced the result of elected a broad centre/left coalition governent, the first of its kind in 30 years for that region. Luca Esposito from FILEF Melbourne explains in depth the situation regarding new Italian legislation that would see Italians living abroad pay to access the public health care system in Italy every year they enter the country, even if they have decades long gaps between visits its not a new fee every time but a cuulative one (10 years = 20,000 euro).FILEF Treaurer and DECC (Darebin Ethnic Communities Council) secretary Matthew Guglielmi gives a comprehensive rundown of the event that DECC is presenting in conjuction with the Migrant Workers Centre regarding rights at work. This leads to a general discussion about what the importance for organizations like ours and others to make migrant worker and indeed all worker justice one of the central focus points of our organizing. Especially as we review the current visa reforms brought in by the federal government effectively placing a large barrier to migration to Australia and all of this under an ostensibly "Labour" government. As the program begins to wind down the crew play the famous Italian song "Per I Morti Di Reggio Emilia", the version played is by the Canzoniere delle Lame. Per i morti di Reggio Emilia is a 1960 Italian protest song written by Fausto Amodei, a founding member of the Cantacronache group, in response to the violent crackdown on anti-fascist demonstrations in Italy.  The song specifically mourns the five communist protesters killed by police during riots in Reggio Emilia on July 7, 1960, amidst broader unrest against the Tambroni government, which relied on support from the neo-fascist MSI party. The lyrics serve as a political memorial, listing the names of the fallen—including Ovidio Franchi, Lauro Farioli, Marino Serri, Afro Tondelli, and Emilio Reverberi—and drawing a direct ideological link between the current victims and the heroes of the Italian Resistance (partisans) against fascism.  By comparing the 1960 deaths to the Cervi brothers and invoking partisan anthems like Bandiera Rossa (Red Flag) and Fischia il vento, the song frames the state's violence as a continuation of the fascist threat, urging solidarity and continued struggle. It quickly became an anthem for leftist and labor movements, frequently performed at protests and marches throughout the 1960s and 1970s.  The song has been reinterpreted by numerous artists, including Milva and Stormy Six, and its melody has even been adapted for football ultras chants, cementing its status as a staple of Italian political music.To end the program and seeing as we are approaching the anniversary commemorating those attacked and the death of activist Carlo Giuliani G8 in Genova in 2001, the program concludes with a powerful testimony read out live on air penned by an activist that was there at the time and was also present at on the Global Sumud Flotilla. Her account links the violence of fascist states and the powerful testimony shines a light on the times we are currently living through. Closing out the program we go out with a song dedicated to the martyr of the G8 Carlo Giuliani entitled "Il Mio Nome E' Carlo" by Malasuerte Fi Sud. We translate some of the lyrics for you here:I’ve always been a bit of a rebelanger and injustice etched into my skinalong with so many others, I took to the streetsthe atmosphere made it a strange day.A colorful human chain, a universal coloreveryone singing “The Internationale” in unisonthe people’s hunger drove me to demonstrateit’s right to protest against what’s wrong.My heart would race even for a soccer ballI carried a flag as a witnessIt was July 21, 2001You can’t take anyone’s life away.I was there too that day in that fucking cityI saw things you’ll never see on TV,they weren’t red zones, they were black zones,they weren’t black blocs, they were policeThen a gun popped out of that jeepunarmed, I immediately grabbed a fire extinguisherand I heard the shots that suddenlychanged my color.I fell to the ground, drained of strength,but the police even made that doctor back off,and they tried to hide mebehind the shields of pain.This time it’s not my fault—there were too many cops in that square.This time it’s not my fault—they took one of our comrades away!

In this week's episode…Festa della Liberazione 25 aprile First up we look ahead to Italian Liberation Day, La Festa della Liberazione, celebrating the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Italy from nazi occupation and fascist rule on 25 April 1945. We discuss its relevance today and the contradictions and controversies in Italy under the far-right government of Giorgia Meloni. We look at the contrast between 25 April in Italy and Australia, and ask how we can remember and honour the lessons and legacy of the Partisan resistance in today’s world. We are priviliged to be joined by our special guest Professore Alberto Vannucci with his expert analysis on the current political climate in Italy.We look into the archives of FILEF’s newspaper in Australia, Nuovo Paese, and find it necessary to highlight the acknowledgment in its pages of the Aboriginal resistance against invasion in Australia. We look back to the March 1988 edition of Nuovo Paese and the first in a series of translations of the work of Mary Coe about the Aboriginal resistance leader Windradyne. Weekly News recapWe have a brief run down of some weekly news.Opposition leader Angus Taylor announces the Liberal Party’s immigration policy plansPiero and Prof. Vannucci give a report back from a recent event that hosted Italian Australia politiciansAnd the Melbourne metro Council workers industrial action and upcoming strike.Feature Interview: Professor Alberto Vannucci hereFinally, we interview our special guest Professor Alberto Vannucci, Professor of Political Science at the University of Pisa and a globally renowned expert on political corruption and organised crime. As a member of the national Executive Board of Libera (Italy’s anti-mafia civic network) and the author of seminal texts on the topic, Prof. Vannucci’s work offers insightful analysis about corruption and political crisis in Italy, and the intersection with modern organized crime.In this exclusive interview, we discuss Prof. Vannucci’s research and work, the history and nature of corruption in Italy, and the systems and conditions that sustain it. Prof. Vannucci speaks about the resistance and fight against mafia and corrupt political systems, the movement led by civil society, and the importance of such a struggle in the context of this political crisis in Italy.MusicTroy Cassar-Daley - Windradyne

In this week's episode...Palestinian Prisoner's DayFirst up we speak about Palestinian Prisoner's Day, commemorated globally on 17 April each year since 1974.Tobia reads an excerpt from un racconto from a Palestinian activist and ex-political prisoner Ameer Makhoul. You can read the full text in Italiano and English here.Our guest, visiting PHD candidate and researcher from the University of Perugia, Grazia Pisano provides her account of the Pro-Palestine solidarity movement in Italy.Update on the trial of charity worker and president of the Palestinian Association in Italy Mohamed Hannoun, and his co-accused. Update on the trial of Palestinian refugee in Italy Ahmed Salem, sentenced on 14 April 2026 to 4 years imprisonment.Tribute to Vittorio ArrigoniCompagno Vik, non ti abbiamo scordato. Restiamo umani!We pay tribute to Italian activist and journalist Vittorio 'Vik' Arrigoni, killed in Gaza on 15 April 2011. Vittorio Arrigoni was a staunch supporter of the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice, working with the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement. He had been living in Gaza since 23 August 2008 having arrived by sea with the ships Liberty and Free Gaza, and breaking the maritime blockade that Israel has imposed on Gaza since 1967. Arrigoni reported regularly for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto and in his blog Guerrilla Radio, with a collection of his work and reporting published in his book Restiamo Umani. Vittorio Arrigoni is commemorated annually in Gaza, where he received a state funeral.We listen to an interview Vittorio Arrigoni gave from Gaza hereAnd a reading of some of his writing hereYou can also watch a documentary about Vittorio Arrigoni here and find more at the Fondazione Vittorio Arrigoni. Interview with Grazia Pisano hereWe speak to Grazia Pisano, visiting PHD candidate and researcher from the University of Perugia. Grazia discusses her work and research on Italian and international news media representation of 'Ndrangheta, exploring the role of mainstream media narratives in shaping public perception. We also discuss her current visit to Australia to develop a parallel research project with University of Melbourne investigating how Australian news media constructs harmful social stigma for the local Calabrian and broader Italian communities.MusicI Luf - Ballata per Vik TÄRA - Diaspora

In this weeks show…International Women’s DayHanna is joined by FILEF members Margherita, Renata and Lorella for a compelling International Women’s Day special.In this cross-generational round-table discussion we hear about the IWD demonstrations in Italy and the comparisons with the feminist and labour movements in Australia. Margherita speaks about the importance of the trans-feminist movement in Italy, her reflections and experience as a migrant in Australia, and the importance of IWD in both countries and beyond.Lorella and Renata speak about their years of involvement and work within the Australian Union movement, highlighting the historical wins and challenges faced by migrant women workers. Drawing on their first-hand accounts, they discuss the broader experiences of migrant women in Australian unions, the importance of industrial action, and the political agency and role of migrant women workers in Australia’s labour movement.MusicGiulia Mei - BandieraElina Duni - Amara Terra MiaGiusy Ferreri - Ma il cielo è sempre più bluLA NIÑA - Figlia d' 'a Tempesta

Interview with Tony Guseli (Part 2)Listen to part 1 hereContinuing with our summer special series we have part 2 of our interview with Tony Guseli about his research on the 29 Italian men who died in industrial accidents working on the construction of the iconic Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. Tony is the nephew of one of these men, Antonio Guseli, who died in the worst multiple fatality accident on the scheme on 16 April 1958. In that accident, four young Italian men lost their lives.Through his extensive research, including obtaining archival material, migration records and coronial inquests, Tony aims to tell the broader collective story of these post-war migrant workers.As his work progresses Tony plans to extend his research to all the 121 men who died on the Snowy Scheme. Tony also has the specific mission and goal to provide the contemporary relatives of these men with the archival documents he has obtained and encourage them to contribute to telling their collective story. Listeners who may know these men or their relatives or have a connection to the Snowy Scheme can contact Tony by email at [email protected] or via his page detailing his research: Rememering the workers of The Snowy Scheme.Tony has provided us with the names and details of the men together with their photos here and in Italiano here.