27 Facts About Aldo Capitini

Aldo Capitini was an Italian philosopher, poet, political activist, anti-fascist, and educator.

Aldo Capitini was one of the first Italians to take up and develop Mahatma Gandhi's theories of nonviolence and was known as "the Italian Gandhi".

Aldo Capitini's father was a municipal official and his mother a tailor.

From an early age, Capitini was interested in philosophy and literature.

Aldo Capitini was committed to the study of Latin and Greek literature.

Aldo Capitini became close to anti-fascist students, as a professor being a conscientious objector.

In 1933, the director of the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, a Fascist intellectual Giovanni Gentile, asked Aldo Capitini to join the Fascist Party.

Aldo Capitini propagated anti-fascism from 1933 to 1943, meeting with groups of young people, especially in central Italy.

Aldo Capitini published three books on philosophy and religion, which passed the Fascist censorship, with support from the liberal philosopher Benedetto Croce.

In July 1944, with Emma Thomas, an English Quaker, Aldo Capitini founded the Centro di Orientamento Sociale in Perugia.

Aldo Capitini stood aside from the Cold War and the new Italian Republic, but promoted causes and became the most important exponent of nonviolence in Italy.

In 1950, Aldo Capitini organized the first Italian conference in Rome on the subject of conscientious objection.

Aldo Capitini attended the World Congress of Religions for Peace Foundation, held in London in 1950.

Aldo Capitini proposed the establishment of a Nonviolent Religious International Movement.

Aldo Capitini protested against the appeal made by the meeting to religious leaders, saying that leaders are responsible for the compromise of states and wars and that the Congress had to address directly appeal to people individually.

Aldo Capitini participated in the Congress of Vedanta in London in 1951, with the theme "Peace, unity of the world, the spiritual community".

In January 1952, Aldo Capitini promoted an International Conference for Nonviolence in Perugia.

In 1953, Aldo Capitini held the first West-East Asia Conference in Perugia.

In 1954, Aldo Capitini held a seminar of lectures and discussions on the methodology of Gandhi in Perugia.

Aldo Capitini became a professor of pedagogy at the University of Cagliari in 1956, and in 1965 was granted a transfer to the University of Perugia with the same chair.

Aldo Capitini organized the National Conference on Disarmament Affairs in Florence in 1962, and held a seminar on techniques of nonviolence in Perugia in 1963, with the participation of leaders of the Committee of 100.

At the 12th Congress of War Resisters' International in Rome in 1966, Aldo Capitini gave a paper on International nonviolence and permanent revolution.

Aldo Capitini introduced a report, on the violent revolutionary methods, arguing that nonviolent revolution is much more effective.

Aldo Capitini died on 19 October 1968 following the after-effects of surgery.

Aldo Capitini was influenced by meeting Claudio Baglietto, a philosopher and conscientious objector who died in exile in Switzerland.

Aldo Capitini took from the philosopher Carlo Michelstaedter of Gorizia the importance of persuasion, as the ability to pursue one's own ideals with tenacity, and the power of nonviolence, a gentle power, however determined.

Aldo Capitini mobilized to help Pinna and called on the support of intellectual friends and Members of the Italian Parliament.