Alstom hosts the “Laugh!” exhibition by artist Monica Pirone and initiates a series of public conferences in Italy to raise awareness about gender-based violence

Alongside the conferences, Alstom will host in Italy’s various plants the “Laugh!” exhibition, created by the artist Monica Pirone, who has always been committed to raising awareness on the issue of gender discrimination. The project consists of 20 dolls that represent the diverse experiences of contemporary women around the world. Open to the public, the exhibition was inaugurated today at the Alstom site in Bologna, where it will be on display until Friday 24^th November, before heading to the Savigliano facility from November 27^th to December 2^nd 2023. In February and March 2024, the exhibition will be displayed at other Alstom sites in Italy.

“Over the years, Alstom has strengthened its civic dedication, embodied in its values, with a genuine mission to promote inclusive and respectful culture, as well as to increase awareness about gender-based violence issues particularly concerning social models.”  says Michele Viale, General Manager of Alstom in Italy and President and CEO of Alstom Ferroviaria. “Alstom is firmly committed to increase awareness and combat any form of gender-based violence, whether it’s physical, psychological or economic. We, as a company, strongly emphasise our absolute intolerance towards any form of violence.”

“The exhibition consists of twenty dolls representing different roles, each interpreting a character and telling a story: the story of all of us, girls, adolescents, women who have animated and continue to animate the scene over time, writing the history of their country of origin and in some cases the world declared the artist, Monica Pirone. "It is crucial to become aware of the ongoing dramas to address injustices that cannot be accepted, to find resolutions. Every place is the right place to talk about it, and art has the duty to step out of museums and galleries and to turn form into a narrative useful to society, a fundamental contribution to imagining a different world where women can have equal opportunities, equal rights that make them free to design their own lives.”

Throughout the conference, emphasis was placed on identifying warning signs indicating potential danger, providing guidance on swift action, and outlining measures for prevention and support. The discussion also covered the significance of regional assistance centres. The role of assistance centers in the region was also discussed.

Additionally, a new project supported by the Alstom Foundation was introduced This year, the Foundation have chosen, among others,  Pangea Foundation, which is committed to welcoming Afghan women and their children in Italy and facilitating their integration into society through educational and work programs.

At the various conference venues, Alstom employees will also be involved in a performance reading articles from the Italian Constitution regarding the protection of women, entitled “Aloud” (Ad Alta Voce) This choral moment represents a reading relay that will touch Alstom's nine facilities: Bari, Bologna, Firenze, Lecco, Nola, Savigliano, Sesto San Giovanni, Vado Ligure and Valmadrera.

Over the years, Alstom has promoted several projects aimed at promoting cultural shifts. It has prioritised crucial aspects of Diversity & Inclusion, including gender quality equality, gender identity, and social inclusion, establishing partnerships with various associations and entities.

These collaborations actively support the journey towards an increasingly inclusive culture.