Photographer Tomaso Clavarino withdraws from Lodi Ethics Photography Festival over migrant children discrimination

Photographer Tomaso Clavarino has withdrawn his work from the Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi, Italy, protesting the festival's silence on a local controversy involving the discriminatory treatment of immigrant children. The festival, running until October 28, 2018, features exhibitions, portfolio readings, workshops, and an international award under the theme 'When photography speaks to consciences.' However, Clavarino criticized the festival for failing to take a public stance on a recent policy by Lodi's mayor Sara Casanova, which required immigrant families to provide additional documentation from their home countries to qualify for subsidized school bus and meal fees. This policy, defended by Minister Matteo Salvini, led to dozens of children being excluded from services until a public outcry raised €90,000 to cover the costs. Clavarino, invited to exhibit as part of the Premio Voglino, requested the festival organize a panel to discuss the role of photography in addressing such issues. Receiving no response, he formally withdrew his exhibition on October 22, 2018, stating the need for an unambiguous stance. Clavarino, known for his investigative work on paramilitary groups in the Baltic states, faced death threats for that reportage. His withdrawal highlights ongoing debates about the responsibility of cultural institutions to engage with political and social crises.