Why did you create #ScusaRoma?
Honestly. A. Survival instinct. I have invested a lot of time and effort into creating Dolcevia.com and promoting Italy in The Netherlands since 2008. It has never been easy. The ENIT does not promote Italy in our country anymore due to budget cuts so tourism to Italy is dependent on private initiatives for promotion of the national tourism product but also for promotion of Italian export. I didn't want a bunch of undiplomatic politicians and ignorant hooligans ruin it for the other 2 million tourists that come to Italy each year for vacation. I lost my first company because of 9/11. I think I became a crisis manager. I saw the Dutch Embassy statement after the violence. I realized that would never be enough to clear anger here in Italy. It only got worse after Gudde made his statement. I do P.R. between Italy and Holland daily, so I understand the term "lost in translation" better than most. B. 2 million people are in love with your country and people and the violence broke their heart. You have to allow them to say how bad they feel. #ScusaRoma This is their way to say sorry, we feel really ashamed and bad about what happened.
Your first thought when you knew about the supporters behaviour?
You can see a bit above but I thought..oh this will not end well.. I think that there is tension in Rome at the moment. I thought these Feyenoord fans are in the wrong place and wrong time. I think those hooligans could have been German or English.. they just happened to be Dutch. I also thought WTF are they doing on Piazza di Spagna... I felt quite ashamed for this behaviour.
How did your country react ?
Some people have obviously never heard of diplomacy in Holland. I think Gudde must go on holiday to a camping in Norway. He obviously knows little about the emotion, pride and passion of the Romans. The reactions of the people was horror and dismay. They were just represented by some very stern and pragmatic people who talked without a heart.
At 17 I actually had a boyfriend from Rome, not that it was very important for my life but it was a beautiful story which took place somewhere in the hills of Umbria. I look back at that year as one of the best in my life because my parents were getting a divorce in Holland and his family took me in like a daughter. I stayed with his family all summer. That is the romantic story. The other story is that since I work in tourism I could choose to sell two countries America or Italy, I first chose America but after 9/11 I changed to Italy. I love Italy, I hate to see people miserable or stressed in Italy. This is one big museum. some place like Matera, when I saw it the first time I saw it I cried. I am an idealist, I want to change things here. I work extremely hard to represent Italy well, the way you should be represented in foreign countries. I hate to see people misrepresented.
In your opinion what is the element the most representative of Italy in the world?
Your absolute dedication and passion for beauty.
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