On saturday September 15th, 2018 the XII Memorial Oriana Fallaci took place in Firenze. Oriana Fallaci was an Italian journalist and writer who gained worldwide recognition through her war reporting and interviews with world leaders in the 60s, 70s and 80s, including Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. During her interview with the Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, she threw down the chador she was wearing and attacked the mandatory Muslim veil for girls and women.
Fallaci was later also known for her fierce Islamic criticism and the Islam-critical books she wrote, especially ‘The anger and the pride’ and ‘The power of reason’. Her books were translated into 21 languages and she received several prizes for her writings and her courage. Oriana Fallaci died on September 15, 2006, exactly 12 years ago yesterday.
According to annual tradition, the Oriana Fallaci Award was presented in Florence on September 15th in honor of Fallaci. This year it was received by Antwerp municipal councilor, senator, Flemish parliamentary representative, writer and Islamic critic Anke Van dermeersch.
The speech by Anke Van dermeersch – entitled ‘The Europe we do not want’ – is available as an attachment.
