A symbolic place dedicated to memory, but also a space to reflect on the present and the role of civil society in the most difficult moments in history: it is in this spirit that the City of Locarno and the Federica Spitzer Foundation have presented the project "A Garden for Giusy," an initiative that will lead to the creation of the Garden of the Righteous of Locarno within the Parco della Pace.
The goal is to pay homage to the women and men of Locarno who, in times marked by persecution and conflict, chose to stand up for solidarity and human dignity, often out of the spotlight and without institutional roles. The new space will be inaugurated on September 18, 2026, with a public ceremony followed by an evening film screening in collaboration with the Locarno Film Festival.
The garden will feature commemorative plaques and olive trees dedicated to the Righteous, symbols of remembrance and peace.
A project born from the spirit of Locarno
The initiative continues the civic and diplomatic tradition that the city on Lake Maggiore has upheld for over a century. In 1925, Locarno hosted the international conference that led to the signing of the Locarno Pact, an agreement aimed at stabilizing Europe after the First World War and founded on the principle of peaceful resolution of disputes.
From that experience the expression was born “esprit de Locarno”, still evoked today to indicate a vision based on dialogue, openness, and international cooperation. The new Garden of the Righteous aims to nourish this very moral legacy, recalling that the defense of freedom and rights is not solely the task of institutions, but can also arise from individual initiative and the daily commitment of ordinary people.
In this sense, the project aims to go beyond being a commemorative monument, but rather become a living space for public reflection, capable of stimulating civic awareness and offering younger generations concrete examples of responsibility and solidarity.
The role of civil society in the darkest moments
The project is based on a belief shared by the Federica Spitzer Foundation: peacebuilding is not only the result of government decisions or international treaties, but also arises from the actions of individual citizens who choose to oppose injustice.
According to the initiative's promoters, history shows how, even in the most dramatic periods—from political persecution to world wars—families, associations, and individuals have been able to create solidarity networks capable of saving lives and defending fundamental values.
Telling these stories therefore means restoring visibility to an often overlooked dimension of historical memory: that of ordinary people who, quietly, chose to act for the good of others.
The Four Righteous of Locarno
The Garden of the Righteous in Locarno will pay homage to four figures selected by a commission of historians and scholars: Polia Rusca, Lilly Volkart, Luigi “Luisïn” Rusca and Wladimir Rosenbaum.
These personalities represent different paths but are united by a strong ethical tension.
Lilly Volkart
A social activist originally from Zurich, in the 1930s she founded a facility in Ascona to take in children in need. During the Second World War, her Kinderheim also offered shelter to numerous Jewish orphans and refugee children from Italy.
Luigi «Luisïn» Rusca
An entrepreneur and manager of the La Carità hospital in Locarno, he supported anti-fascist activities and discreetly helped several political exiles, including the Italian journalist Filippo Sacchi during the years of the fascist dictatorship.
Polia Rusca
An ophthalmologist of Belarusian origin, she served during World War I in a Red Cross field hospital and, once settled in Locarno, devoted herself to caring for children and refugees. She also promoted health care courses in the Ticino valleys and supported the women's rights movement.
Wladimir Rosenbaum
A lawyer and intellectual of Russian-Jewish origins, he transformed his residence in Comologno into a meeting place for artists and opponents of Europe's totalitarian regimes. Among his guests were anti-fascist and anti-Nazi writers and intellectuals, who found in Ticino a refuge and a space for cultural exchange.
A series of meetings to tell their stories
Before the garden's official inauguration, the public will be able to learn more about the biographies of the four Righteous through a series of public lectures to be held in Locarno's City Council Chamber between March and May 2026.
The calendar includes:
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24 March 2026: meeting dedicated to Lilly Volkart
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April 15 2026: conference on Luigi “Luisïn” Rusca
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May 6 2026: appointment on Polia Rusca
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May 28 2026: evening dedicated to Wladimir Rosenbaum
The meetings will be accompanied by presentations by historians and scholars who will illustrate the historical context and the significance of their actions.
The second Garden of the Righteous in Switzerland
The one in Locarno will be the second Garden of the Righteous created in Switzerland, following the one inaugurated in 2018 in Lugano, also on the initiative of the Federica Spitzer Foundation and the City.
The foundation, created to preserve the moral legacy of Federica Spitzer—a survivor of the Theresienstadt concentration camp and an active witness to the memory of the Holocaust—promotes educational and cultural projects dedicated to the theme of persecution and civic engagement against all forms of oppression.
Among the initiatives is an educational platform for Ticino schools dedicated to the lives of the Righteous, which starting next fall will also host the profiles of the Righteous of Locarno.
A place of memory looking to the future
The idea of A garden for Giusy It was born from the desire to translate historical memory into a concrete and visible gesture in the urban space.
The Garden of the Righteous will not only be a tribute to the past, but also an invitation to all citizens to remember that, even in the darkest moments of history, every individual can contribute to defending freedom, human dignity, and civil coexistence.
A message that Locarno – a city that over the centuries has welcomed exiles, refugees, and the persecuted – intends to continue to pass on to future generations.
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