Rome, Italy [Notizie Avventiste, CD EUDNews]. The Italian Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Uicca) joined the ‘empty seat’ campaign in two places: at the entrance of the Union building and in the meeting room.
"It is an initiative created by Maria Andaloro, a woman from the province of Messina," said Franca Zucca, Italian Union Director of Women's Ministries. "The Federation of evangelical women in Italy adopted this symbol and our adventist Women's Ministries readily joined in".
The idea is simple but effective. Women killed by classmates, boyfriends, husbands, once occupied various places in society: at the theater, on the tram, at school, in the subway, at church, at work, etc. Leaving a place empty means remembering them even though they are not with us anymore, lest we forget.
The initiative is spreading and more and more faith communities are joining.
The Women's Ministries at the Italian Union committed to fighting violence against women and has also implemented the project “EnditNow” - Let's end it now.
"Women’s Ministries is where initiatives can educate and inform," added F. Zucca, “We are involved in preventing, informing and training about violence towards women and towards the more vulnerable, as the elderly and children."