Anne Parry: The English Teacher Who Became a Voice for Europe and Peace in Italy

Introduction

The sudden demise of Anne Parry, the Secretary of the European Federalist Movement of Valpolicella has affected many people, not only people from Verona. 

A generous and principled woman, who after retirement as an English teacher discovered a talent as a community organizer and promoter of  grass-roots, participatory politics, informed and aware of the great challenges of these days. First Brexit, then Ukraine: many got involved these causes, because of her commitment to carry forward towards enhanced understanding and peace.

Here is the link to the original article in Italian: https://www.heraldo.it/2025/12/30/anne-parry-in-ricordo-di-una-cittadina-europea/

Here is the link to the memorial page with possiblity to donate https://annienonna.muchloved.com/

Below the English translation of the article by Fabiana Bussola in the Heraldo:

Anne Parry: Remembering a European Citizen

By Fabiana Bussola – December 30, 2025

The death of Anne Parry, Secretary of the European Federalist Movement in Valpolicella (Italy), has saddened many people – not only those in Verona. She was a kind and determined woman who believed in involving everyone in politics, and she was aware of the great challenges of our time. From Brexit to the war in Ukraine, many remember her as an example of dedication that should continue into the future.

Anne Parry was an English teacher and the Secretary of the European Federalist Movement for the Valpolicella area (near Verona). On her Facebook profile, one of her last posts features a short verse by the British-Hungarian poet George Szirtes: “Europe is freezing / History is creeping up… / Time winds its oldest watch.” (In Italian: “L’Europa congela / La storia si insinua… / Il tempo avvolge il suo orologio più antico.”)

For many years, Anne was an English teacher and a Verona resident by adoption. She has left the legacy of her civic and political activism to those who knew her and worked with her on countless initiatives. These initiatives supported European unity, the creation of a “United States of Europe,” and above all opposed the horror caused by Putin’s Russia in Ukraine. A health problem that she had been battling for some time ultimately took her life. However, Anne never stopped – until the very end she continued sharing information, posting articles and events, and making herself available for new future projects.

After Brexit: Her Social and Political Commitment

Anne was born in Liverpool and grew up in Retford, near Nottingham. She earned a degree in languages at the University of Leeds and lived for 10 years in Oxford before moving to Italy in 1982. She first lived in Modena, then settled in Verona. In total, she taught English for 40 years. In her later years, she taught at the University of Verona and at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice.

It was her pro-Europe political commitment that made her well known in the community. She deeply loved the Valpolicella region, where she lived with her husband Mario Zenari. Together with him, she engaged in civic initiatives to protect the environment and to promote a respectful appreciation of the local heritage.

For Anne, the arrival of Brexit in 2016 was a turning point. Two years later, this led her to become the Secretary of the Valpolicella branch of the Movimento Federalista Europeo (European Federalist Movement). Before that, she was active with the organization “British in Italy.” With that group, she took part in many demonstrations – in Italy as well as in London, Leeds, and Manchester – protesting the United Kingdom’s divorce from the European Union.

A meeting with Giorgio Anselmi – who at the time was the national president of the European Federalist Movement – convinced Anne to learn more about European federalism. This led her to accept the invitation to open the Valpolicella section of the movement in March 2019. From the garden of her own home, she launched many initiatives to raise awareness about Brexit, climate issues, and major events in the European Union.

In 2022, Anne decided to run for the Italian Senate as a candidate on the +Europa (Plus Europe) party list. In that campaign, she put the idea of a strong and Federal Europe first, as an answer to the pervasive and threatening nationalism she saw rising. Two years later, she also supported Sir Graham Watson’s candidacy as the lead candidate for the “United States of Europe” list in the Northeast Italy constituency.

How People Who Knew Her Remember Her

Many people have paid public tribute to Anne on their social media accounts – people who, in various ways, stood beside her in her battles.

Anna Lisa Nalin, a member of +Europa’s national leadership, wrote:

“Anne, how many flags did you wave – did we wave together? In how many city squares did you stand with me? How many demonstrations, conferences, exhibitions, press events did you attend? All in the name of Europe – a federal Europe, as you always insisted – in the name of the United States of Europe: a dream, a hope, and an urgent necessity in the face of an increasingly grim world situation. […] Your loss is a deep one for our community. We have beautiful memories of you and of all that you sowed. So many of us will continue the battles we fought alongside you – and many others as well – because freedom, democracy, and rights are not things that can ever be put up for negotiation.”

Simona Geroldi, a board member of the Valpolicella MFE, wrote:

“I am – and will always be – so grateful to her because she added something deeply valuable to my life. She made me feel like a more active citizen and encouraged me to learn more, to do research, and to try to give my small contribution to society.
She was a gentle pasionaria (a passionate fighter) whom it was hard to say no to. It was always a pleasure to work with her on educational projects that spread the European values of peace, and the individual, civil, political, economic, and social rights that the citizens of the European Union enjoy. […] Great personalities leave great voids. But the strength of their example stays alive and can continue to bring about good. Anne, everyone who walked a part of the road with you will carry you forward.”

Marina Sorina – a translator and interpreter – shares this memory:

“We saw each other about three weeks ago, and the last things she gave me were a Ukrainian flag (which she had ironed with her own hands — she made sure to mention that) and the MFE membership card for the coming year. At the time I didn’t think much of it, as we were in a rush, but thinking about it now, it was like she was leaving me something, a passing of the baton: act for a Federal Europe and for a free and peaceful Ukraine.”

Marina Sorina had, on December 3, brought the Ukrainian poet Oksana Stomina – who is originally from Mariupol – to an event at the Valpolicella European Federalist Movement. It was the closing event of Stomina’s Italian tour.

Europe: An Imperfect Dream to Fulfill

“Europe might always be an imperfect dream, but I would like everyone to work on it,ˮ Anne said in an interview with Heraldo three years ago. “In this era, it is almost impossible to stay out of politics when you consider what the future holds for defense and climate. If we don’t try to feel like European citizens – and understand what that means – we will never be able to face the problems ahead. If we feel only Italian, only Veronese, we will never manage to tackle the issues in front of us.”

Thanks to her collaborative spirit, Anne also wrote for our newspaper. Most importantly, she coordinated a column run by the Valpolicella European Federalist Movement to give voice to the cultural meetings and discussions that the association promoted. Her final piece for Heraldo was an interview with Marina Sorina. Since 2022, Anne had worked tirelessly with Sorina to make people aware of Ukraine’s history and its right to independence – including organizing photo exhibitions on the Holodomor (the man-made famine in 1930s Ukraine) and cultural events about Ukrainian art and culture. With the same generosity, Anne contributed to “Verona Èuropa,” a festival dedicated to European institutions and politics organized by the University of Verona. She always believed strongly in full collaboration between citizens and institutions.

No Flowers – Support the Causes Anne Cared About

Anne passed away surrounded by her loved ones: her husband Mario (who was her partner in every endeavor) and her daughter Emma. Her funeral will take place tomorrow, December 31, in a private ceremony at 4:00 p.m. However, people can pay their respects today until 6:30 p.m., and tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at the Mascanzoni Funeral Home in San Pietro in Cariano. In memory of Anne, she asked people not to bring flowers, but instead to make a donation to one of the causes she cared about – specifically, to support Ukraine.

For those who wish to contribute, a link is available where you can send a donation and also leave a written message for her family.

On February 2 in Bologna, during her speech at the “Disarmiamo la disinformazione” (“Disarm Disinformation”) event – which protested Russian disinformation and was supported by various civil society groups, +Europa, Radicali, Renew Europe, and Ukrainian communities in Italy – Anne reminded everyone how fragile public opinion is in the face of the “hybrid war” being waged through media. She drew on what happened in her own country, the UK, when it chose to leave the EU, as a lesson. On that occasion, Anne closed her speech by quoting Winston Churchill: “Truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end there it is.”

We remember people like Anne because we need them, and we will continue to need them in the times ahead.