Remembering Romana Blasotti Pavesi 1929-2024
Romana Blasotti Pavesi was a member of a club that no one wanted to join; she lost her husband Mario, daughter Maria Rosa, son Ottavio, sister Libera, nephew Enrico and cousin Anna to the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. Only Mario had worked with asbestos. All the others had been exposed to carcinogenic fibers in the built environment and in the air of their hometown Casale Monferrato, the municipality at the center of Italy’s asbestos epidemic.1
In the face of her own losses and those of so many others, Romana dedicated her life to “the fight against asbestos.” In the preface to the first English language book exposing the global catastrophe caused by the Eternit asbestos conglomerate, she wrote:
“I want to be at the forefront of the campaign that started in Casale in the late 1970s. I am president of the victims’ association for our community: AFeVA… Our aim is to restore the dignity of the suffering victims, and to ensure there will be no more asbestos victims in the future, neither in our area nor around the world…
To all the victims of asbestos, and those living where it is still mined, processed and traded, I wish with all my heart that you can eradicate all traces of asbestos risk… To all those communities with which we feel intimately linked and with whom we share pain and fate, from Widnes in the UK, to Pay le Monial in France, from Sarnia in Canada to Osasco in Brazil and many others, go our thoughts and the friendly embrace of our association.”2
 (Photo from documentary: Dust - the Great Asbestos Trial). |
The news of Romana’s death, at the age of 95 on September 11, 2024, sparked off scores of newspaper articles, online postings and TV remembrances, all of which highlighted the role she played in the fight by victims and their families to hold to account the owners and managers of the asbestos factories which maimed and killed without mercy. In Italy, the intensive media coverage of her passing was truly remarkable. 3
Over recent days, colleagues from around the world shared remembrances of Romana with President Jacques Faugeron of the French Association for the Defense of Asbestos Victims (ANDEVA) writing:
“It is with great sadness that we heard of Romana's passing. We shall always cherish the memory of this exceptional woman who we admired because of her courage, her resilience, her dignity when faced with the despicable manoeuvres of the billionaire Schmidheiny. Her words at the Turin trial both shook and impressed us. Her example will serve as an appeal to continue the struggle for asbestos victims throughout the world.”4
From Brazil, Fernanda Giannasi – Cofounder of the Association of the Asbestos-Exposed (ABREA), commented:
“Many of the founding members of ABREA came from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. The cultural and historical roots they shared with AFeVA’s members reinforced the bond between the groups. The fact that their struggle for justice was also against Eternit, strengthened the feelings of commonality and fellowship. For us, Romana was a member of our family. In the face of so much tragedy, she dedicated herself to the fight for asbestos justice. Her memory will continue to inspire us for years to come.”5
 ABREA’s President Eliezer João de Souza (white shirt) and Fernanda Giannasi (orange blouse) in Romana’s house with members of AFeVA. June, 7, 2017. Picture courtesy of ABREA. |
Sugio Furuya, Coordinator of the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN), echoed the views expressed above:
“The constancy and commitment of our Italian colleagues was exemplary. Their exploration of legal, legislative, judicial and media strategies was both creative and effective. In the face of enormous pressure from powerful commercial forces, they stood firm in their resolve. At the head of this, was AFeVA’s indefatigable President: Romana Blasotti Pavesi. Japanese asbestos victims stand in solidarity with the AFeVA family in mourning her loss and giving thanks for her dedication to our shared struggle.”
September 22, 2024
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1 Mossano, S. E la Romana gridò: «Noi siamo più tanti di voi!». La sentì l’Italia intera
[And the Roman woman shouted: "We are more than you!" All of Italy heard her.] September 12, 2024.
https://www.silmos.it/e-la-romana-grido-noi-siamo-piu-tanti-di-voi-la-senti-litalia-intera/
2 Pavesi, R. B. Preface. Eternit and the Great Asbestos Trial. 2011.
http://www.ibasecretariat.org/eternit-great-asbestos-trial-preface.pdf
3 Addio a Romana Blasotti Pavesi, pasionaria della lotta all'amianto [Farewell to Romana Blasotti Pavesi, a passionate advocate for the fight against asbestos]. September 11, 2024.
https://www.ilmonferrato.it/articolo/JdOlUAdT3UG_c49ZaM50wg/addio-a-romana-blasotti-pavesi-pasionaria-della-lotta-all-amianto
Battaglia, R. In ricordo di Romana Blasotti Pavesi, madre della lotta contro l’amianto in Italia e nel mondo [In memory of Romana Blasotti Pavesi, mother of the fight against asbestos in Italy and around the world]. September 13, 2024.
https://www.articolo21.org/2024/09/in-ricordo-di-romana-blasotti-pavesi-madre-della-lotta-contro-lamianto-in-italia-e-nel-mondo/
Baquet, F.B. ¡Adiós, Romana [Farewell Romana]. September 16, 2024.
https://rebelion.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Fallecimiento-de-Romana-Blasotti-Pavesi-1.pdf
4 Email received September 18, 2024 from Jacques Faugeron, ANDEVA.
5 Email from Fernanda Giannasi. September 20, 2024.
