Famous Italian Activists

Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian journalist, politician, and activist. He played a major role in the Italian revolutionary movement and in the unification of Italy. His efforts gave rise to an independent and unified Italy, which replaced many separate states that were dominated by foreign powers. Mazzini is widely regarded as the most influential European revolutionary.

Former Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte is a qualified lawyer and teaches law at various universities. He was one of the few Italian prime ministers to have held office without any previous political experience. He was also the first Western leader to impose a national lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pippa Bacca made international headlines in March 2008, when she was found naked and strangled on the outskirts of Istanbul. The Italian feminist artist had apparently been raped and murdered in the middle of her hitch-hiking program Brides on Tour, which had her traveling from Milan dressed as a bride.

A leading member of the 1960s Berkeley Free Speech Movement, Mario Savio was a student free-speech activist. The son of a machinist, he showed his excellence in physics and later majored in philosophy. Suspended from Berkeley for his political activities, he worked odd jobs and later became an educator.

Renowned feminist activist and political theorist Silvia Federici is chiefly known for co-founding the International Feminist Collective, which launched the Wages for Housework campaign worldwide. She had taught in Nigeria and is now a professor at the Hofstra University. She has also penned books such as Caliban and the Witch.

Born to Italian writer Cino Boccazzi, Kuki Gallmann later moved to Kenya with her husband and son, both of whom she lost in separate accidents. Taking up Kenyan citizenship, she focused on ecological conservation. He bestselling book I Dreamed Of Africa was later made into a movie.

Initially a U.S. Air Force cadet, Erika Eiffel later established herself as an award-winning archer. She also established OS Internationale, an organization for objectum sexuals, or people who develop relationships with inanimate objects. She was featured in the documentary Married to the Eiffel Tower, which explored her attraction to the Eiffel Tower.

Born into the mafia family of Luigi Impastato, Giuseppe Impastato, or Peppino, is remembered for breaking apart from his family and beginning anti-mafia activities. He launched the magazine L’Idea Socialista and the radio station Radio Aut. He ran for elections, too, but was later assassinated.

The founder of the Focolare Movement (The Work of Mary), Chiara Lubich is regarded as one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the 20th century. During World War II, she and her followers attended to the wounded. She also taught elementary school and penned bestsellers such as Meditations.

Livia Giuggioli, the former wife of Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth, made headlines when she split with Firth, over her alleged affair with Marco Brancaccia. Livia apparently tried covering up the affair by claiming Brancaccia was a stalker. She had first met Giuggioli while working as a production assistant.