The New Face of the Neighborhood: A Screening and Dialogue on “Veronetta” in Gorizia
On November 19, 2015, in the historic border city of Gorizia, the “invisible” became impossible to ignore. As part of the cultural series “Uno sguardo all’Africa” (A Look at Africa), Obehi Ewanfoh unveiled the second phase of his visionary project: The Journey, a deep-dive exploration of the African presence in Northern Italy. This was no mere film screening; it was a moment of reflection and a call to dialogue.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
The event focused on the heart of Verona’s Veronetta district, a neighborhood characterized by its vibrant African community. The evening began at the Mediateca Ugo Casiraghi with an insightful exchange between Obehi and journalist Tonino Barba, setting the stage for the main screening at the Kinemax cinema.
As the lights dimmed for the documentary-inquiry “Veronetta: The New Face of a Neighborhood,” the audience witnessed a narrative shift.
For the residents of Gorizia and the African Diaspora alike, the “Migrant” archetype was dismantled, replaced by the “Visible Architect” of a new, multicultural Italian reality.
The Power of the Authentic Gaze
The organizers, including Caritas Gorizia and the CVCS, established a clear mandate for the evening: to understand and delve deeper “without conditioning”.
For too long, the African presence in Italy has been viewed through the conditioned lenses of “crisis,” “emergency,” or “integration problems.” The Gorizia event sought to shatter these filters.
See also Veronetta, New Face of a Neighborhood, Screened at The University of Padova
By presenting a cinema and culture series that was “not (only) on Africa but of Africa,” the initiative shifted the power dynamic. It moved the Diaspora from being the “Subject” of a social study to being the “Author” of a cultural inquiry.
What is Veronetta? A Crossroads of History and Identity
Veronetta is the historic soul of Verona, situated on the left bank of the Adige River. As the city’s ancient birthplace, it is a treasure of heritage, home to the Roman Theater and the towering Castel San Pietro.
Yet, its name carries a history of defiance; coined “Veronette” by Napoleon’s troops in 1801, it was originally a mocking label for the side of the city under Austrian rule. Following a catastrophic flood in 1882, the district fell into a century of neglect, becoming a marginalized enclave for the city’s poor.
The tide turned in 1973 with a massive urban rehabilitation project. Today, Veronetta has shed its “dispregiativo” (derogatory) past to emerge as a vibrant, multicultural hub and the intellectual engine of the city, serving as the main seat of the University of Verona.
This unique blend of Roman ruins, Austrian military architecture, and a global student population creates a space where ancient history meets a modern, diverse reality, providing the perfect stage for the African Diaspora stories documented by Obehi Ewanfoh.
The Inquiry: 40 Years of Transformation
Obehi Ewanfoh’s documentary-inquiry serves as the second phase of a multi-year research project into the African experience across Northern Italy.
You might also like Where to Stay – Hotels and Accommodations: My Verona Journey Series, Part 5
By focusing on a 35–40-year timeframe, the film shatters the myth that the African presence in Italy is a recent “emergency.” Instead, it reveals a deep-rooted, structural history. Through this lens, the film offers three vital insights:
- A Record of Physical Change: It tracks the architectural and social evolution of Veronetta from a neglected corner of the city into a thriving, multicultural laboratory.
- The Reality of Coexistence: The film moves beyond the surface-level buzzword of “integration” to examine social fusion, the raw, daily reality of diverse cultures cohabiting and building a shared future in the same streets.
- Independent Media Sovereignty: Because this project was self-financed from his little income, it bypasses traditional gatekeepers. This ensures that the “Sovereign Truth” of the community remains unedited, raw, and authentically told by those who live in it.
From Impotence to Co-Development: The Sovereign Pivot
One of the most profound elements of the Gorizia cultural series was the spirited debate that followed the screening. The conversation, featuring insights from experts like Rossana Puntin, delved into the complex world of “migrant transnationalism” and the innovative potential of “co-development.”
These aren’t just academic buzzwords; they represent a fundamental shift in how we view the movement of people across borders. For too long, the narrative around migration has been one of “impotence”, a feeling that migrants are passive subjects caught in a system they cannot control.
The Gorizia dialogue challenged this, reflecting a core principle we champion at AClasses Academy: the Diaspora is not a burden to be “integrated” through charity, but a strategic bridge to be activated for global progress.
When you can document and prove 40 years of presence in a region like Veneto or Friuli Venezia Giulia, the conversation changes instantly. You move from the periphery to the center. You are no longer a “guest” waiting for permission to exist; you are a stakeholder with deep roots, historical memory, and economic skin in the game.
This is the Sovereign Pivot. It is the moment the Diaspora stops asking for a seat at the table and realizes they have been helping build the house for nearly half a century.
By embracing co-development, we recognize that the Diaspora’s success in Italy is directly linked to the development of their home nations, creating a dual-value system that benefits both sides of the Mediterranean. But what can this mean to you, and how can it contribute to your future?
- Reclaim Your Time: By documenting 40 years of history, Obehi proved that time is a “Sovereign Asset”. We help you look back at your own career and “excavate” the years of experience that give you the right to lead today.
- Break the Conditioned Gaze: The world will try to “condition” your value based on your status. Like the Gorizia series, we teach you how to present your work in a way that is “unconditioned” and authoritative.
- Build Your Own “Kinemax”: Obehi used a cinema and a news portal to tell his story. We help you build your own digital platforms—podcasts, books, and courses—so you never have to wait for a “landlord” to give you a microphone.
Conclusion: The New Face of the Future
The screening of “Veronetta” in Gorizia was a reminder that every neighborhood has a “new face” waiting to be recognized. It proved that when we speak for ourselves, the “library” of our culture does not burn; it expands.
Obehi Peter Ewanfoh’s work is the blueprint for the Story-to-Asset methodology. He took a neighborhood, a history of 40 years, and a camera, and he turned them into an inquiry that captivated universities and cinemas across Italy. Book Your Free 15-Minute Legacy Strategy Call Now
