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ITALY. Today’s selection of images comes from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport, where an inspiring dance performance transformed Italy’s busiest airport into a powerful stage for awareness and solidarity.
To mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) and the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma today partnered to showcase a powerful choreographic performance titled Voglio essere l’ultima, or ‘I want to be the last one’.
Staged in the Piazza of Terminal 1 departures, the performance brought together eight young dancers from the Teatro dell’Opera’s Ballet School.
“Culture, when shared collectively, becomes a powerful tool to recognise, denounce and overcome all forms of violence”
– Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet School Director Eleonora Abbagnato
The dancers performed a piece by choreographer Giovanni Castelli and inspired by verses from Peruvian activist and poet Cristina Torres Cáceres, whose work is described as a “symbol of denunciation and resistance”.
The choreography, accompanied by an unreleased composition titled Butterfly by musician Irene Bello (Eneri), offered an emotional reflection on solidarity, resilience and the collective rejection of violence. The performance was graced by Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet School Director Eleonora Abbagnato.
The initiative forms part of ADR’s participation in the United Nations’ UNiTE 2025 – Orange the World campaign, which raises awareness of digital gender-based violence. The campaign is promoted globally by UN Women.
Promoting a culture grounded in respect, equality and the appreciation of diversity and each individual’s uniqueness is a daily commitment for Aeroporti di Roma that we cultivate both inside and outside our airports
– Aeroporti di Roma Senior Vice President External Affairs, Sustainability & Destination Management Veronica Pamio
What began as a solitary performance gradually evolved into unified motion, echoing the idea of female solidarity as both shield and catalyst for change.
Abbagnato commented: “With this performance, we wanted to transform a place of transit into a space of awareness, bringing dance to where it can reach everyone. Our students embodied a message that combines civic engagement and emotion: no woman should ever feel alone. Culture, when shared collectively, becomes a powerful tool to recognise, denounce and overcome all forms of violence.”
From 25 November to 10 December (Human Rights Day), ADR will light several of its landmark locations in orange, the colour symbolising a future without violence, including the fountain outside the twin Rome airports of Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Terminal 3 and the façade of G.B. Pastine Ciampino.
Promoting gender equality and equity is a central pillar of ADR’s sustainability strategy, which includes a structured programme in the area of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). The airport operator holds the Italian Gender Equality Certification, obtained at the end of 2023 and renewed this year.
In addition, ADR recently received the international Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award at the International Airport Summit in Berlin on 19 November.
Among ADR’s key initiatives is its partnership with the DONNEXSTRADA association, which in 2024 resulted in the introduction of the first Punto Viola at an Italian airport, located at Fiumicino and extended this year to Ciampino. The service offers initial support for women in difficulty.
According to ADR, these initiatives underscore its ongoing commitment to promoting a culture of equality, prevention and respect, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.
“Promoting a culture grounded in respect, equality and the appreciation of diversity and each individual’s uniqueness is a daily commitment for Aeroporti di Roma that we cultivate both inside and outside our airports,” commented ADR Senior Vice President External Affairs, Sustainability & Destination Management Veronica Pamio.
“This is the message that today’s performance – made possible thanks to the invaluable collaboration with the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma – aimed to convey to passengers and all airport personnel.
“At the same time, by lighting up several symbolic areas of the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports as part of the United Nations UNiTE 2025 – Orange the World campaign, we sought to combine art and light to inspire reflection and raise awareness on issues of profound importance for our community and the territories in which we operate, such as gender-based digital violence.
“These initiatives express the sense of responsibility with which we interpret our role and our commitment to concretely contributing to the creation of environments that are increasingly safe, inclusive and respectful of the dignity of every person.”
Today’s performance reaffirmed how airports can become more than transit hubs, offering high-profile visibility for critical social causes such as addressing gender-based violence. ✈
