Italy

The data on global warming suggests that many seaside resorts in Atlantic and Mediterranean Europe could lose their beaches due to sand erosion caused by rising sea levels and human activity.

The Monument to Italians Fallen in Africa at Syracuse (Sicily) was an initiative of Mussolini to celebrate fascist colonial ventures. It is emblematic of Italy’s and Europe’s unresolved relationship with its colonial past, an issue thrown back into the spotlight after the wave of Black Lives Matter protests in the United States. According to Somali-Italian writer Igiaba Scego, it is a wound that needs to be healed, starting with its symbols.

We have gathered data on excess deaths from 500 European regions to better understand the spread of the virus. Some regions report up to three times as many deaths as usual since March, but a large part of Europe has been able to live through the first wave of the pandemic without any significant excess death.

For weeks, Spain and Italy were epicentres of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their health defences had an important gap, which had a major impact on the way the disease hit the countries.

We asked our readers to tell us how they live through the COVID-19 epidemic, their experience of this crisis, what it tells us about Europe in the broadest sense, and what they hope for its future. The contributions are presented from the most recent to the oldest. You want to share yours? Write to us, and make your voice heard!