Visitors look at the photos at the exhibition. — Photos courtesy of Italian Embassy in Hà Nội

HÀ NỘI — Photographs and historical documents are on display at an exhibition in Casa Italia honouring the role women played building the Italy of today.

Entitled Women of the Republic. Eighty Years of Achievements in ANSA's News Coverage (1946-2026), the exhibition retraces the institutional, social, cultural and scientific achievements of Italian women, from the birth of the Republic to the present day.

According to Italian Ambassador to Việt Nam Marco Della Seta, the event offers an opportunity to reflect on the stories of women whose talent, dedication and determination helped shape modern Italy.

“We want to celebrate 80 years of Italian women’s participation in national life," said the ambassador.

"Through archival photographs, the exhibition traces the history of Italian women from 1946 to 2026, highlighting their growing influence across all sectors of society – from the arts, culture and entertainment to science, technology and politics."

The ambassador also highlighted the profound significance of viewing this historical journey through a female perspective, while expressing appreciation for the vital contributions women have made to Italy’s social, cultural and economic development.

Italian Ambassador to Việt Nam Marco Della Seta,at the opening of the exhibition.

The exhibition begins with the institutional referendum of 2 June 1946, the first national election in which Italian women exercised their right to vote, and continues through the stories of leading figures in the country’s contemporary history. 

From Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian woman in space and the first European woman commander of the International Space Station, to Giorgia Meloni, the first woman to hold the office of President of the Council of Ministers, many women are portrayed in the exhibition. 

Among them is Anna Magnani, the first Italian actress and the first non-native English speaker to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, earning the honour in 1956 for her performance in The Rose Tattoo, directed by Daniel Mann.

The exhibition also introduces pioneering figures such as Rita Levi-Montalcini, who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 and Luisa Torsi, whose groundbreaking contributions to chemical analysis earned her the Accademia dei Lincei Prize and the prestigious H.E. Merck Award, making her the only woman to receive the distinction.

Each story represents a piece of a broader narrative of progress celebrating women’s voices, recognising their achievements and demonstrating how they have broken through barriers to contribute to the advancement of society and humanity as a whole.

The exhibition produced by ANSA and promoted abroad through the diplomatic and consular network of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic.

The exhibition runs until 21 June from 9am to 9pm at Casa Italia, 18 Lê Phụng Hiểu Street. — OVN/VNS