Cécile Kyenge
Cécile Kashetu Kyenge | |
---|---|
Minister for Integration | |
In office 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 | |
President | Giorgio Napolitano |
Prime Minister | Enrico Letta |
Preceded by | Andrea Riccardi |
Succeeded by | Ministry abolished |
Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
In office 26 February 2013 – 18 February 2014 | |
Constituency | Emilia-Romagna |
Personal details | |
Born | DR Congo | 28 August 1964
Political party | Democratic Party |
Spouse | Domenico Grispino (1994–2019) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore |
Profession | Ophthalmologist |
Cécile Kashetu Kyenge (Italian pronunciation:
After moving to Italy in 1983 at the age of 19, she became a qualified ophthalmologist in Modena, Emilia-Romagna. She has founded an intercultural Association (DAWA) to promote mutual awareness, integration and cooperation between Italy and Africa, particularly in her country of birth, the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is also the spokesperson of the association "March First", which works to promote the rights of migrants in Italy.
In February 2013 she was elected member of the Chamber of Deputies for the Democratic Party in Emilia-Romagna. Two months later she was appointed Minister for Integration in the grand coalition government formed by Enrico Letta, becoming Italy's first black cabinet minister.[1] She supports the introduction of a Jus soli law to grant citizenship to children of immigrants born on Italian soil.
Biography
Kyenge was born in Kambove (Haut-Katanga District) in the Democratic Republic of Congo on 28 August 1964. She arrived in Italy with a student visa in 1983.[2] She has a degree in medicine and surgery from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome.[3][2] She is a specialist in ophthalmology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
In 2002 she founded the Association for Intercultural DAWA ("dawa" is a
Early political career
In 2004 Kyenge was elected in a district of the town of Modena for the Democrats of the Left and later became the provincial head of the Forum of International Cooperation and Immigration.
On 7 June 2009 Kyenge was elected provincial councilor in Modena for the Democratic Party (PD) and joined the committee Welfare and social policies. She is also responsible for immigration policies in Emilia-Romagna for the Democratic Party.
On 25 February 2013 Kyenge was elected member of the Chamber of Deputies for the PD in Emilia-Romagna.
Immediately after her election to the
Minister for Integration (2013-2014)
In April 2013 Kyenge was appointed Minister for Integration in the
European Parliament tenure (2014-2019)
Kyenge was elected to the
Kyenge led the EU-Election Observer Mission for the
Personal life
Kyenge married engineer Domenico Grispino in 1994 and filed for divorce in 2019. Kyenge and Grispino have two daughters named Giulia and Maisha.[16] Grispino is a supporter of Matteo Salvini and ran as a member of Lega Nord in 2019 for a municipal position.[17] Kyenge lives in Castelfranco Emilia.[18]
References
- ^ a b Bacchi, Umberto (3 May 2013). "Italy's First Black Minister Cecile Kyenge Shrugs off Racial Attacks". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Cécile Kyenge, per la prima volta nel governo un ministro di colore". Il Messaggero. 27 April 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
- ^ Faris, Stephen (6 May 2013). "In New Job, Italy's First Black Minister Confronts Culture of Casual Racism". Time. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- TheGuardian.com. 14 July 2013.
- ^ ""Kyenge zulù": insulti razzisti sui siti della galassia nazi". La Repubblica (in Italian). 30 April 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Mario Borghezio (Lega Nord) a La Zanzara: "Kyenge? Con le sue idee ci vuole imporre tradizioni tribali"". La Zanzara (in Italian). 30 April 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Italy: Northern League councillor sparks row over calls for black minister's rape". Adnkronos. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ^ https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21584376-italys-first-black-minister-has-had-tough-political-baptism-educating-c-cile Racism in Italy: Educating Cécile
- ^ "Minister Kyenge Meets the Good Italians". Warscapes. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ^ "Kyenge elected to the European Parliament". Africa News. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ "MEP Kashetu Kyenge". The official website of the European Parliament.
- ^ Members of the European Parliament on Integrity (Transparency, Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime) European Parliament.
- ^ Members European Parliament Intergroup on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.
- ^ Members Archived 27 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights.
- ^ "Personal profile of Cécile Kashetu KYENGE in the European Parliament's directory of members". Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Kyenge: Presterò la voce a chi non-ne ha possibilità". Gazzetta di Modena. 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Amiel, Sandrine (5 February 2019). "Husband of Italy's first black minister 'to run for far-right party'". euronews. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ Scritto da: Guido Del Duca – sabato 27 aprile 2013 (27 April 2013). "Cecile Kyenge; Ministro dell'Integrazione. Governo Letta". Polis Blog. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
External links
- Profile on the Italian parliament's website (in Italian)
- Personal profile of Cécile Kyenge in the European Parliament's database of members