When culture creates dialogue
Words matter — and they matter even more when we talk about a systemic and pervasive phenomenon such as gender-based violence. Words are often themselves a form of harassment; in fact, they sit at the very base of the pyramid of violence against women: catcalling, objectification, sexist jokes, offensive language, secondary victimisation in the media. The words we choose are important when we educate new generations about sexuality, emotional literacy, relationships, and when we introduce concepts such as patriarchy, consent, harassment, femicide, and victim blaming.
Preventing gender-based violence also involves language, but language alone is not always enough: we need to engage, tell stories, and foster the dialogue that can emerge. This is the intention behind Mediobanca’s corporate book club Tra le righe: a space for listening and exchanging ideas on Diversity & Inclusion themes, dedicated to everyone who knows how to read beyond the words.
The first meeting of the Mediobanca book club created in collaboration with Rame
The book chosen for the first meeting (held on 17 November 2025) was Tutta la vita che resta, the debut novel by Roberta Recchia, which explores the mechanisms of gender-based violence and femicide, analysing themes of shame and erasure. The author also took part in the event, while Claudia De Lillo (journalist and writer known by the pseudonym Elasti) guided the conversation.
The novel is set in the 1950s and tells the love story of Marisa and Stelvio Ansaldo and the loss of their daughter Betta, killed on the Lazio coastline. With her was her cousin Miriam, who was herself the victim of unspeakable violence. As prejudice spreads against Betta — a sixteen-year-old who lived with all the exuberance of her age — the secret of what happened that night becomes increasingly unbearable for Miriam, until she meets Leo.
Finding time and space — both at work and outside the company walls — to discuss delicate and important issues such as gender-based violence is essential. This is made possible also thanks to culture and the evocative and revelatory power of books. Because words, even those found in novels, are important: the goal is to keep the conversation going, always.
Mediobanca’s commitment against violence and for gender equality
The fight against gender-based violence has always been a central theme for Mediobanca, and its commitment to countering abuse and harassment is constant. As proof of this, the bank is among the founding members of PARI., an association created in January 2025 with the aim of involving organisations and companies in raising awareness and preventing gender-based violence through training, events, policies, editorial content, and a permanent observatory. Among the key values of PARI. — and therefore of Mediobanca — is the desire to help build a society free from violence and femicides by taking concrete action to change the culture we live in.
Among the recent events organised by PARI. and the Mediobanca Academy training programme is the webinar Educare oggi: strumenti e consapevolezza per accompagnare le nuove generazioni: a meeting on parenting themes created by Fondazione Giulia Cecchettin, held on 29 and 30 October 2025. Together with Claudio Nader and Barbara Mapelli (members respectively of the Foundation’s Dissemination Committee and Scientific Committee), the discussion addressed the changes modern families face, new parental roles, a vision of fatherhood beyond the traditional model that sees fathers merely as support figures for mothers in caregiving; it also touched on domestic violence, gender stereotypes, family education, and corporate policies supporting shared parenting.
Mediobanca is aware that achieving gender equality and countering discrimination and violence also requires committing within the company to training activities, listening to female colleagues, valuing their work, and communicating with the right words. A commitment that must be carried forward every day. Always.