Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
Five kilometres through the heart of the capital to affirm that gender-based violence is not a private matter but a collective battle.
In the rain, the second edition of “Corri Libera – United Against Violence Towards Women” set off from the Colosseum, an event promoted by the ministries for Family, Sport and Education, with the participation of the Defence Ministry.
The initiative — organised by Sport e Salute with Fidal, the Municipality of Rome and PuroSangue and sponsored by the Lazio Region — is open to all, both as a competitive race and as a simple non-competitive walk. Following the success of its debut on 23 November 2025, born from an inter-ministerial memorandum of understanding, the event has returned to mobilise the city with the support of high-profile ambassadors, including Francesco Totti.
A narrative route in five stages
The course, starting from via Celio Vibenna, is structured as a genuine step-by-step story:
- Kilometre 0: the collective start.
- Kilometre 1: light installations and audio contributions to learn how to recognise the first signs of abuse.
- Kilometre 2: an information focus on 1522, the free public utility number against violence and stalking.
- Kilometre 3: space for testimonies and stories collected by Italian Women Journalists.
- Kilometre 4: a distributed noticeboard dedicated to messages left by participants.
Symbolically crossing the finish line with the runners are the musical pieces written by students for the competition “Da uno sguardo”.
The village and the commitment of institutions
On the eve of the race, the Temple of Venus was illuminated to send a visual signal to the city, while the skatepark at Colle Oppio hosts the event village with stands from associations and institutions. During the presentation at Palazzo Chigi, minister Andrea Abodi stressed the urgency of turning this symbolic moment into daily action, while the CEO of Sport e Salute, Diego Nepi Molineris, opened up the possibility of replicating the format in other Italian cities.
The data: the emergency and signs of change
The figures remind us how far there is still to go. According to the latest Istat report, 31.9% of women in Italy aged 16 to 75 (around 6.4 million) have suffered at least one form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In the first nine months of 2026, the interior ministry recorded 67 intentional homicides with female victims, 15 of which have already been classified as femicides in an intimate context.
However, a positive trend is emerging in terms of awareness: over ten years, the percentage of women choosing to turn to anti-violence centres and support services has doubled, rising from 4.4% to 8.7%. A race alone cannot solve the problem, but it helps send a clear message to those suffering in silence: asking for help is a right and must never be a cause for shame. It is up to institutions and society to be ready to respond.
