The making of this book has been an incredible, generous effort from a number of VDSA members. My many thanks to all those who participated.
The book was shortlisted for Premio Pieve 2013 and has received many praises from some of the most important Italian literary reviewers. It has been written that Valerio’s book is not only a travel journal but the newest adventure story, a love story, a book of initiation, a labyrinthian hypertext.
-Vittoria Pasquini, VDSA President
Valerio’s secondary school, the International Grammar School, hosted a Music Night for its thirtieth anniversary, dedicated to Valerio’s memory. Australian musician Paul Jarman composed a song whose lyrics are the words to one of Valerio’s poems, published in his first book ‘Love for the Turning World’.
ORANGE TREE
By Valerio De Simoni, with Paul Jarman & Bonnie Nilsson
Orange tree
Beneath my window
In the garden
Look at the beauty I see
Orange tree
Beneath my window
In the garden
Blossoming all for me
Grown from a single seed
Orange tree
What beauty
Little orange tree
One can learn much from an orange tree
Purity, mother tree
It’s children sweet and full of love
Oh little orange tree
Grown from a single seed
On the occasion of Vittoria Pasquini and her brother Massimo Pasquini’s visit to the place of the accident, a group consisting of the local community, the Italian ambassador to Zambia, the Italian honorary consul to Malawi, a representative of the Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe and the Oxfam representative to Malawi gathered to commemorate the life of Valerio.
A memorial stone was erected at the site in Valerio’s memory, may it live forever.
The ‘Quadsquad’ Expedition undertaken by Valerio, Ted and Jamie in 2010-2011 has earned a place in the World Guinness Book of Records for the longest quad bike journey.
This short film by documentary filmmakers Lorenzo Conte and Gabrielle Gianni fuses passages of text from Valerio’s diaries read by Giulio Petushi with footage recorded during the expedition.
On the 17th of September, the VDSA held a press conference at the Auditorium in Rome presenting “Diari di Viaggio – Travel Journals”, the second volume of Valerio’s diaries to be released. A variety of speakers, including literary critic Filippo La Porta, writer and actor Guiseppe Cederna, socio-political and cultural theorist Franco Berrardi Bifo, youth music and culture expert Gino Castaldo, the publisher, Luca Sossella and representatives from Oxfam and Greenpeace Italia explored various elements of the book. The event was hosted by Rai Tre radio presenter Guido Barbieri.
Our visits to Villawood Detention Centre (VIDC) have continued throughout the year on a weekly or fortnightly basis, including visits by four new members who have become regular and much appreciated visitors. The generous monthly allocation by VDSA has enabled us to purchase both food items and other items to help relieve the distress, suffering and helplessness of Asylum Seekers. Other items consist of, for example, phone cards, batteries, DVDs, games, comics, activity books, material for sewing, art folders and art paper. The art paper has enabled one of our friends to create coffee-based art that will be for sale with all funds going to the artists concerned. Some members attended the book launch on December 1st 2013 at Berkelouw Book Shop, Paddington, of 4 Zines containing drawings by members of the Refugee Art Project group, including those of our artist friend in Stage 2.
The practice of taking DVDs borrowed from municipal libraries has been discontinued because of the risk of occasional items going missing in the confusion of communal living or not being returned on time. This makes having our own collection, created in 2012 and regularly being added on, more important.
Various members attended court in relation to the Rooftop Protest trials and subsequently visited at least some of those who received prison sentences. Monthly prison payments were made by VDSA, primarily to two asylum seekers in particular, to enable them to make basic purchases. The allocation of funds to gaol inmates (including for the outside purchase of personal items not provided by the prison system) was decided on a needs basis and it is anticipated that these payments will continue (for the one still in gaol) until approximately mid-2014. Much gratitude has been expressed by those inmates (most now back at Villawood) because the funds and outside purchases allowed them to survive the privations of prison existence with greater dignity. They have also expressed gratitude for the visits made to them while in gaol (unfortunately, the one remaining in jail is at present in Cooma so a greater effort will be required in the coming months to visit him).
VDSA has also acted as a conduit for concerned individuals (e.g. two individuals from the Blue Mountains) and associations to donate to those in jail. The largest contributor in this sense was FILEF [Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Emigrati e Famiglie] who very generously donated $800.00. In 2013 FILEF also made a generous donation of $500.00 used by VDSA to add to its lending library of DVDs in various languages including English. They have been lent over the months to both adults and children in detention and will continue to be lent, except for those that are copies as the Immigration Department no longer allows copies of DVDs to be given or lent to detainees. Together with books, games and newspapers, the DVDs have contributed to relieving the suffering, dislocation, distress and profound boredom experienced by most, if not all, detainees. Some DVDs have gone missing, primarily because of the Immigration Department practice of giving individuals and families only a few hours’ notice to pack their belongings before releasing them or sending them sometimes to other states.
Our visits have appeared to bring comfort, distraction and relief to asylum seekers and refugees, both in gaol and at Villawood where some are now in their 5th year of detention. Our presence among Villawood detainees of different ethnic backgrounds – mainly Afghan Hazaras, Rohingyian Burmese, SriLankan Tamils, Iranians, Kurds, Vietnamese, and others. One of our friends recently told us that to talk with us was much better than going to the psychologist, both for his English and his mental health.
While visiting has become more difficult because of the 24-hour notice now required by all 3 VIDC sections, the group is motivated to continue its activity, while welcoming new members to join our ranks.
In addition to its regular activities, on November 24 2013, in collaboration with Filef, VDSA organized an Inform/Action Afternoon ‘Asylum Seekers or Illegals?’ to shed light on the refugees plight.
“During 2013 our Valerio Daniel De Simoni Association group of volunteers (in alphabetical order: Dina, Elio, Genevieve, Giulia, Helen, Jacquie, John, Karen, Kathryn, Kerry, Louise, Mariella, Michelle, Nicoletta, Paola, Rioko, Silvia, Vittoria) has regularly provided once a month the promised lunches for the clients of the ASC to help relieve their distress and misfortune.
Instructions concerning the preparation and conduct of the lunches were prepared by the ASC. They were a useful reference point and have been conscientiously observed.
However each group in charge has been free to cook and offer a menu of their choice. As a result a wide assortment of tasty meals has been prepared on each occasion, all reflecting diverse cooking approaches and an interesting range of culinary traditions. I believe that the way we have spontaneously structured our work has been effective and motivating and – in my view – could continue in the future providing everybody agrees/is happy about it.
Our lunches – according to Maura Corkery, Volunteer Coordinator at the ASC – have been extremely well received. In fact, a wonderful success on each single occasion. All of us who have been involved have found the experience touching, rewarding and motivating.
I can consequently state on the occasion of the current AGM: Mission accomplished in regard to our Association Lunches Project for the ASC. Having said this I sincerely hope that all those involved will be willing to continue contributing to this initiative in 2014. Meanwhile I thank them all for their skills, generosity and fantastic cooperation. Mariella Totaro Genevois”
Mariella asked if members willing to volunteer for next year could kindly advise her.
Thanks to Adam we have a video show casing the memories of the night.
Vittoria and Rosie took 1st lunch for 20 people to the Centre. The employees were very welcoming and helpful and one, Victoria, had lived in Italy for few years, so was very happy to practice her Italian with us! Food included organic pasta with tomato sauce offered by Pasta Emilia, bread offered by Iggys, plus peas and mixed salad. Fruit: grapes and apples.
The guests arrived few at a time and in total only 10 came, we sat down to eat with them, as it’s the case, and we also invited people from the centre to eat with us, they did appreciate the goodies. Around 2pm we started to put things away and to clean up. If there are left overs, they can be put in plastic containers, with date written on top.
Guests wash their own plate glass and cutlery and we our own things and whatever we have used from the centre. They have a dishwasher so things can be put in there. We have to leave everything clean, sink tops and tables.
Editorial blurb for the book.