Piazza del Duomo in Prato was transformed into a mosaic of colors and solidarity thanks to the Viva Vittoria project, which saw thousands of women engaged for a year in making crochet blankets. The initiative, created to raise awareness against gender violence, was able to combine creativity and social commitment in a symbolic gesture of great visual and human impact.
Thousands of hands for a maxi blanket symbol of resistance
The protagonist of the scene is a maxi blanket made up of 12,500 squares of fabric, which covered the entire square like a collective embrace. The over 3,200 blankets made by Prato volunteers and local associations tell a story of cooperation and participation: each square brings with it the work, passion and message of those who contributed. The initiative also involved local companies, which donated the necessary yarn, transforming the city into a shared creative laboratory and a tangible symbol of the fight against violence against women.
Solidarity in action: blankets in support of La Nara
Now the blankets will be put on sale with a minimum bid of 20 euros and the proceeds will be donated to the La Nara Anti-Violence Centre, the heart of the women’s support network in the Prato area. Citizens will be able to purchase blankets in the former premises of the Catholic Bookshop in Piazza Duomo, made available by the Diocese, thus transforming an artistic gesture into a concrete act of solidarity.
Councilor Manetti’s speech: a clear and urgent message
The institutions were also present at the event, with the regional councilor for gender equality Cristina Manetti, who underlined:
The Viva Vittoria demonstration represents a concrete example of how collective commitment can be transformed into a powerful message of awareness against violence against women – through a simple and shared gesture such as making blankets, the community unites to express solidarity, closeness and responsibility.
Manetti recalled the feminicide of Eleonora Guidi, highlighting the urgency of maintaining high attention on the topic and the fundamental role of anti-violence centers, with a constant commitment by the Tuscany Region to protection and support policies.
A project that unites and inspires
Viva Vittoria demonstrates how collective work and creativity can become tools for change and awareness. Each blanket is not just an object, but a symbol of courage, participation and memory, capable of sparking reflections and involving the entire community. In Prato, the colors of solidarity dressed the square, transforming the art of crochet into a message of hope and resistance against violence against women.
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