turin. Patrick Zaki, videochat with the Galfer class: “They supported me for all 22 months of captivity”

TURIN. Patrick Zaki in conversation with students of the Galileo Ferraris in Turin, the “Galfer”, as many call him. For which the young Egyptian student of the University of Bologna is a kind of pen pal, since he has been receiving their letters for two years. Yesterday the Third M of the institute met him. In a videocall, given that Zaki, who is currently in Egypt where he has suffered a long detention, still cannot return to Italy. “Today I experienced one of the best moments since I was released, with the students of the Terza M of Galileo Ferraris, a school in Turin, who showed me their affection, their love and their support – he wrote on Facebook the boy – They showed real dedication to my cause, sending me letters for 22 months while I was in jail, without losing hope, and yesterday I was amazed by their intelligent questions and their political and human rights awareness. I can’t wait to visit that class as soon as possible ».
Amnesty International
The meeting was organized by Amnesty International, with secure platforms and without the possibility of disclosing photos and videos. All this, of course, due to the very particular situation of Zaki, who in Egypt has yet to undergo the trial. It was said, the bond between the class and the young man has lasted for a long time. A year ago La Stampa had already reported on the correspondence, for which every month the Third M sent a letter to the Egyptian prisons. And it was the student of the University of Bologna who asked to be able to get in touch with them. The correspondence initiative was not born only from the enthusiasm of the young people, but also from the activity of Antonella Mantovani, professor of Italian, history and Latin, who also took care of yesterday’s meeting. «We were all upset, we never thought that Patrick would ask to speak to us. I have always told the boys that perhaps the letters did not reach him, but instead they came to his family and so they would understand that in Italy people thought of him and even simple boys did. In short, normal people. We were thrilled when our contact at Amnesty, Chiara Pacifici, told us that he wanted to get in touch with us », says prof.
“Very nice and kind”
And what person is Patrick? «Very nice and very kind, very humble, extremely altruistic and courageous: he knows that he could go back to prison but he said he would do it all again because he fights for human rights. He was emotional when he told us that he was grateful to us. And he also said that he wanted to use the fact that he now he is so well known to help out his people and turn the light on that in Egypt there are so many people who are in his condition. ‘