What are you willing to put at risk in the pursuit of Justice? - Celebrating the United Nation's

So, yesterday it was a very, deeply moving day for me, as an artist and as a person: the President of UCT Unesco, Chinese-American designer Yiling Li, invited me and my hubby Andrea to attend to the opening of the week of activities in celebrations of the UN'S 72nd birthday! Besides the great honor of participating representing the international artists' community in New York, it was really moving to me to have the opportunity to say what art means to me, and the impact that it can have on society. And I really want to thank Mrs. Yiling Li and the UCT Unesco for the great opportunity to speak my heart in front of such a diverse, international community of artists, of human being pursuing the same goal of unity, peace and growth.

Here's, more or less, my speech:

"I come from Sicily, and I grew up surrounded by the cultural references of the Ancient Greek Drama plays. And I remember that even as a kid I recognized that the very core of each of those plays is built upon these main issues: Justice, Life and Death, and that the last two are strictly connected with the first, leading one. Three thousands years ago they made a statement through these pieces of art: what are you willing to put at risk in order to pursue Justice? And I think that, just as three thousands years ago, this is the question that we should all ask ourselves. What are willing to put at risk in the pursuit of Justice? I believe that, as artists, we have the great responsibility of deciding what ideals we will put our art at the service of: because every time we decide to put our face on something, every time we write a story, we are not only endorsing an idea, we are creating, we are building an idea that an turn into reality. And I am so happy today to see people from literally all around the world, here, together, in the name of art and culture, in the name of serving as crossroads of intercultural exchange, because especially in days like these, in hard days like these, with a world that is suffering, that is torn apart, in days in which it seems that someone wants to tear us apart and have us separate from each other, I strongly believe that in days like these it is more important than ever to stay strong, to stay together, to stick together and use our art in pursuit of Justice".

And you, what are you willing to put at risk in the pursuit of Justice?

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