Bulb planting activity – a symbol of the fight for human rights

The yellow banner ‘Verità per Giulio Regeni’ is outside many buildings in Italy, demanding justice for Giulio and has become a symbol of a wider fight for human rights and justice.

January the 25th and February 3rd 2016 are dates we will never forget. Giulio Regeni’s forced disappearance and the finding of his tortured body 10 days later outside Cairo marked a tragic event that affected his family and close friends, the UWC community and his University friends, all who knew him and many who did not know him personally but shared his values. The very same values of international and intercultural understanding, personal responsibility and integrity, idealism and service that are at the heart of the United World Colleges (UWC), where Giulio studied for two years before going to university.

Every year Giulio’s parents visit our College to meet our new generations. The Garden of Villa Lucchese, one of our residences, is one of the many Gardens of the Righteous around the world and is dedicated to Giulio Regeni. Each year we plant some yellow tulip and daffodil bulbs, to remind ourselves about the ongoing fight for justice and the need to defend human rights, now more than ever.