On the evening of Monday, May 18, in the church of Notre Dame of Sion in Trieste, Don Ettore Malnati officiated a mass in memory of Norma Cossetto, gold medal for civil valor. Sunday, May 17, in fact, marked the centenary of the birth of the martyr of the foibe. Local newspapers, both in print and online, published an article on the anniversary date to commemorate her memory. As usual, there was no shortage of controversy, but on the date of a person's birth, those who are endowed with human and empathetic sensitivity focus on Life and not on controversy: and it is to these people that I address myself.

When we talk about Life we ​​also refer to that earthly dimension in which everyone enjoys mutual respect in order to find an answer to their questions. We hope it will always be long, full of satisfactions and protected from the pains that absence causes. No one at 23 thinks of becoming a symbol. Yet sometimes it happens that when hate becomes the answer, life becomes short and intense in pain; Norma certainly did not think of becoming a symbol, she became one later, unconsciously, when the word < > it landed like a flower, delicately, on the memory of his existence.

Don Ettore recalled in his speech that yes, the Symbol has a name that resonates louder than all the other victims, but they are not subordinate to it for this reason. Under the name of Norma lie the names of all the women thrown into the sinkholes; alongside her story are all those whose bodies have been recognized, but not their violence. Celebrating the birth of a woman means celebrating her life, proper to that Spirit that is the universal feminine creator who observes her male duality to complete herself and not to clash.

Andrea Altin