“I love Italy, I proudly wear the blue shirt which for me is the most beautiful in the world”. Paola Egonu in her monologue does not speak only of racism but also of her love for Italy and the national team with whose shirt she has also experienced complicated moments. And the Ariston appreciates with warm applause. The volleyball star stumbles several times, but tells himself in a genuine way. Without filters. «I am the eldest of three siblings, and I owe everything to mum Eunice and dad Ambrose. They are the ones who allowed me to live a happy childhood, who supported me and who taught me that if you want something you have to earn it. Without fearing sacrifices. They helped me find my path, even if for them it meant me leaving home at 13. I’m not a mother, I dream of becoming one one day, but I’m sure that no parent is happy that their daughter grows up away from her love and her gaze ». And she thanks her parents: «Thank you mom, thank you dad, who gave up on me out of love for me. Sure, your caresses and your attentions I have missed and continue to miss. But I knew, we knew and I know that this is my way».
Egonu’s monologue moves Sanremo: “I am accused of victimhood, but I love Italy and this shirt”
Then he addresses the issue of racism: «Even today I am the one who when asked a question on this issue I answer like this. Take glasses of various colors and put water in them. You will see that most people will choose the clear glass, just because its contents are clearer. Yet if you try to drink from one of the colored glasses, you will discover that the water always has the same taste, fresh and alive…because we are all the same beyond appearances».
She talks about criticism: «I’m the one who is also criticized.
Criticisms have never been lacking and there will be, they are inevitable: some are constructive, most of them gratuitous, others – and I don’t want to play the victim – are real boulders.
I – with difficulty – learned that it is up to us to give the right weight ». And again: «I am the one who often missed important appointments. In my history as a player, in fact, I have lost more finals than I have won. Yet that doesn’t make me a loser. Just as those who get the lowest grade in school are not losers and those who fail to realize their dream at the first try are not losers. And then, since we are in Sanremo, even those who arrive in the last positions in the standings are not losers… ».
To close the monologue, he quotes Vasco: «Do you remember him? It was 1983 when Vasco Rossi arrived penultimate on this stage. Another non-loser, who taught us that the greatest successes can arise from the toughest defeats. Each with his own journey, each different ».
#Egonu #love #Italy #wear #blue #shirt #pride #appearances