Trieste and the rest of the world is celebrating International Women’s day today. It’s a great day to be in Italy as women on the street will nod at you with a smile and “auguri!”, you will see groups of women chatting and having their coffee in the morning and on to aperitivo and dinner in the evening.
Interestingly enough, Festa della Donna originated in two events outside of Italy. One was the formation of women’s union in the USA that was sparked after a strike by garment workers on March 8, 1857 in NYC. Sixty something years later Russian women led a strike asking for “bread and peace” during the Russian Revolution. And in 1945 the Union of Italian Women declared that this special date, March 8, was to be celebrated around the country.
Mimosas are today’s honorary flower (it blooms in Trieste in late February and March) and everywhere women carry little bouquets of these tiny yellow flowers, which are sold or given away by shopkeepers, waiters, and even the corner newspaper seller.
The weather in Trieste promises to be absolutely perfect today, it’s sunny and there’s no wind. It’s a great day for a walk in Barcola, Sistiana or even in Napoleonica.
We hope all women in Trieste will have a wonderful day, whatever they choose to do. Auguri!
