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Posted by Hervé Matine on July 26th, 2023

Patrick Zaki is now in Italy - Bologna!

Patrick Zaki has returned to the University of Bologna! 
“Utopia is achievable”, as Professor Monticelli said on July 24th, “one of the characteristics of utopia and dystopia, even the worst, is always hope.” We’ve never lost it and today we’re here celebrating Patrick”.


Patrick’s joy is the joy of the whole University of Boologna community, of those who defend basic civil rights and strongly believe that together we can create a better world.
We are listening Patrick:

“I’m finally here! It’s a dream come true after all these years. I don't think there are words in any language that can describe how I feel today. It's a great feeling to be back in the University and the City where I belong to".

We are really happy and proud of our involvement in Patrick's cause!
Congratulations and big thanks to all those involved in this noble matter!
Big thanks to our dear Riccardo Noury and “conversazioni sul futuro“ 


Posted by Hervé Matine on December 7th, 2021

Patrick Zaki is FREE!

Patrick Zaki, the Egyptian student of the University of Bologna in prison for almost two years on charges of spreading false information through newspaper articles, is now free. He "has not been acquitted", but will be released from prison between tonight and tomorrow morning and will have to appear before the court again on February 1. 

Posted by Hervé Matine on February 6th, 2021

TOP 10

From top left: Moises Romero - Mexico, Zlatan Dryanov - Bulgaria, Christopher Scott - Ecuador, Mattia Pedrazzoli - Italy, Rashid Rahnama - Iran, Michele Carofiglio - Italy, Andreia Rodrigues -Portugal, Massimo Dezzani - Italy, Arianna Posanzini - Italy and Rita Reis, Portugal

See all 30 selected posters here





Posted by Hervé Matine on January 29th, 2021

Free Patrick Zaki | JURY | 48 hours CHRONO

Patrick Zaki's poster competition is closing tonight at 23:59

We would like to thank our 19 jurors! They will start voting during 48 hours! They will first Select 30 finalists posters and then in a second phase, will point TOP 10's.

Here is our jury members presentation

[ Annalisa Camilli, Laura Cappon, Ginette Caron, Gianluca Costantini, Marisa Gallen, Cedric Gatillon, Maryam Al Khawaja, Riccardo Luna, Francesca Mannocchi, Mila Melank, Armando Milani, Takoua Ben Mohamed, Pavel Pisklakov, Francesco Poroli, Marco Raino, Kianoush Ramezani, Teresa Sdralevich, Marta Serafini and Agnieszka Ziemiszewska ]


Posted by Hervé Matine on January 27th, 2021

Deadline Extended 24 more hours!

Read what Patrick George Zaki wrote in a letter from the Egyptian prison to his family and let your creativity get drunk!
"Let people know I'm here because I'm a human rights defender and not for any other fabricated reason”
Even though the timing is very tight, We would still like to extend 24 more hours to our deadline."Let people know I'm here because I'm a human rights defender and not for any other fabricated reason” this is what Patrick George Zaki wrote in a letter from the Egyptian prison to his family. Patrick is an Egyptian graduate student at the University of Bologna doing an International Master's on gender studies. Patrick was arrested by Egyptian authorities on February 7 on flying back into Cairo Airport, in Egypt, where he had returned from Bologna for a short visit to see his family before starting his second semester. Since then, Patrick has remained in jail and has been waiting for one year, -amid adjournments and renewals-, for the outcome of the hearing that must decide on his detention or freedom. We know Patrick as a courageous young man, but we also know that his condition of extreme uncertainty and vulnerability has put and continues to put his physical and psychological health to the test.
Patrick has a strong passion for learning and for literature, history and culture, from the very beginning he has been standing out for his commitment and seriousness, for his many questions and his desire to learn and share. Patrick is a cheerful young man, kind, generous and above all open to others and respectful of differences. His commitment to civil rights, to the culture of diversity and inclusion, his support for those who are weaker and marginalized, is to us an example of those human values, which, together with critical thinking and freedom of expression and respect for diversity, we believe should be the beacon of our actions. From jail, he has always stated his desire to return to Europe to resume his studies: "Get me out of here as soon as possible, I want to go back to university and continue my studies" he wrote in one of his first letters, "I miss my home, family, friends, studies, the streets of Bologna". And all of us, together with the entire University community, and the city council of Bologna, which has recently bestowed on him the honorary citizenship, and especially together with the citizens who believe in these values, we continue and will continue to strive for his release and for Patrick to return as soon as possible to his family and his studies. We need the support of everyone for justice and freedom to unfold. Free Patrick!

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“Fate sapere che sono qui perché sono un difensore dei diritti umani e non per un qualsiasi altro motivo inventato”, così Patrick George Zaki scrive in una lettera dal carcere egiziano alla sua famiglia. Patrick è uno studente egiziano iscritto a un Master internazionale all’Università di Bologna in Studi di genere. Fermato dalle autorità egiziane il 7 febbraio all’aeroporto del Cairo, in Egitto, dove era tornato per una breve pausa prima di iniziare il secondo semestre per rivedere la sua famiglia. Da allora, Patrick è rimasto in carcere e attende da un anno, tra rinvii e rinnovi, l’esito dell’udienza che deve decidere sulla sua detenzione o della sua libertà. Conosciamo Patrick come un giovane uomo coraggioso, ma sappiamo anche che la sua condizione di estrema precarietà e vulnerabilità ha messo e continua a mettere a dura prova la sua salute fisica e psicologica.
Patrick ha una forte passione per lo studio e per la letteratura, la storia e la cultura, sin da subito si è fatto notare per il suo impegno e la sua serietà, per le tante domande e la voglia di conoscere e condividere. Patrick è un ragazzo solare, gentile, generoso e soprattutto aperto verso gli altri e rispettoso delle differenze. Il suo impegno per i diritti civili, per la cultura delle diversità e dell’inclusione, il suo sostegno verso chi è più debole e marginalizzato, è per noi un esempio di valore, che, insieme al pensiero critico e alla libertà di espressione e al rispetto delle diversità, crediamo debba guidare le nostre azioni. Dal carcere, ha sempre dichiarato il suo desiderio di potere tornare in Europa per riprendere il suo percorso di studi: “Fatemi uscire il prima possibile da qui, voglio tornare all’università a studiare” ha scritto in una delle sue prime lettere, “Mi mancano casa, famiglia, gli amici, gli studi, le strade di Bologna”. E proprio tutte e tutti noi, assieme all’intera comunità dell’Università, e alla città di Bologna, che gli ha da poco conferito il titolo di cittadino onorario, e soprattutto insieme alle cittadine e ai cittadini che credono in questi valori, continuiamo e continueremo a impegnarci per la sua scarcerazione e perché Patrick possa ritornare al più presto dalla sua famiglia e ai suoi studi. Per questa giustizia e libertà, c’è bisogno del sostegno di tutte e di tutti. Patrick libero!




Posted by Hervé Matine on January 4th, 2021

Free Patrick Zaki

The call for entries to “Free Patrick Zaki, prisoner of conscience”, a special edition of Poster For Tomorrow, will be open from 8 to 28 January. The competition is organised by Amnesty International Italia, Conversazioni sul futuro, Diffondiamo idee di valore in collaboration with Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Articolo 21 Association, Human Rights Festival and with the support of numerous public administrations and other partners. The aim of the contest is to join the women and men across the globe who are calling for the immediate release of the Egyptian student Patrick Zaki, who has been detained in prison as a prisoner of conscience for about a year, due to his work for human rights and for his political opinions expressed on social media. The ten best posters, selected by our jury team, will be printed and posted between 7 and 8 February (the anniversary of his detainment and confirmation of his arrest), in the cities, public and private spaces that will join the initiative. All the details will be explained on Monday 4 January at 18:50 with a live stream on Facebook and YouTube during a special episode of the web show “Sette meno dieci”.

Free Patrick Zaki