I married a Londoner I was living with, but after two years we parted ways. I moved closer to the sea and spent six splendid years on my own, keeping my wedding planning business thriving, teaching at Rome’s Academy of Events, and also becoming a private English teacher

I began working in a luxury fashion brand between Milan and Le Marche, while my passion for social causes grew. Volunteering at a recovery community for people struggling with addiction not only taught me the quiet power of empathy, but also led me to cross paths with an old schoolmate, Fabio. In December 2016, during a delightfully eccentric living nativity — I was a feminist Jesus, he was Saint Thomas — we fell in love. Since then, he has been a constant source of joy in my life.

Through the community, I discovered the University for Peace of Le Marche and the international association Creators of Peace. I trained as a facilitator, after studying in Oxford and Brighton, to guide women’s conversations on peace. Today, I lead Peace Circles grounded in active listening, non-judgment, and confidentiality, creating authentic and constructive relationships each time.

I am pursuing a master’s in gender equality, inclusion, and diversity at the Brodolini Foundation, and along the way I met someone special who would become one of my dearest friends.