“Bella Ciao” is a hymn of resistance against oppression and injustice. Dating from the 19th century, the song was originally an Italian protest folksong, lamenting the harsh working conditions of the workers in the paddy fields of northern Italy. However, the song's lyrics were modified in the 1940s to tell the story of a young man who bids farewell to his love to join the Italian partisans. The partisans were the Italian Resistance movement, who fought the occupying forces of Nazi Germany and the fascist collaborationists during the Second World War in Italy from 1943 to 1945. Nowadays, “Bella Ciao” is sung worldwide as a song of freedom.

This song is a crucial part of the history of my country. It reminds us of all the people who gave their lives in exchange for freedom.

This song is so special for me because it’s a song written for everyone. As said before, it’s a song of freedom but also of inclusion and respect. Indeed, the choice to identify “Bella Ciao” as a partisan song stems from the desire to find a text that embodied universal values of freedom and opposition to dictatorship and war, without political or religious references.

My name is Daniela Carignani. I began my career as a singer and lyricist in Italy. Seeking deeper artistic and personal growth, I moved to the Netherlands to discover who I really am as an artist. Nowadays, I am an ambient musician and sonic teller under the secret identity Φili Naturä. My mission as an artist is to foster a reconnection between nature and humanity while offering alternative artistic perspectives on environmental issues through immersive audiovisual experiences.

Daniela herself sings the song at the liberation concert, accompanied by the city carillonist.