Zaia's 2018 praise of WWI rat-eating photo contradicts his anti-China remarks
In 2018, Veneto governor Luca Zaia praised a photo of rats being dried for food during WWI in Belluno, calling it 'straordinario'. In 2020, he claimed Chinese eat live rats, sparking diplomatic crisis. The photo was part of 'Belluno, una città. Il nuovo secolo, la guerra' exhibition at Palazzo Crepadona (Nov 23, 2018 – Feb 2019), curated by Archivio Storico del Comune. It depicted 'l'an de la fam' (year of hunger) under Austro-Hungarian occupation (1917-1918). Zaia's Facebook post (Nov 26, 2018) called the image 'straordinaria'. Chinese embassy in Rome condemned his remarks as 'calunnie' and 'offese gratuite'. Zaia later apologized, claiming he was misunderstood. The article contrasts his 2018 enthusiasm for rat-eating in Veneto with his 2020 stigmatization of Chinese dietary habits.
Key facts
- Luca Zaia praised a 2018 exhibition photo of rats being dried for food in Belluno during WWI.
- The exhibition 'Belluno, una città. Il nuovo secolo, la guerra' opened November 23, 2018 at Palazzo Crepadona.
- The photo by Pietro De Cian is part of the Massenz-Baldini collection at Biblioteca Civica.
- Zaia called the image 'straordinaria' on Facebook on November 26, 2018.
- In February 2020, Zaia said Chinese eat live rats, causing diplomatic tension with China.
- Chinese embassy in Rome called his remarks 'calunnie' and 'offese gratuite'.
- Zaia apologized, claiming he was misunderstood and that his comments were not racist.
- The article highlights the contradiction between Zaia's 2018 praise and 2020 remarks.
Entities
Artists
- Pietro De Cian
Institutions
- Archivio Storico del Comune
- Biblioteca Civica
- Palazzo Crepadona
- Antenna Tre Nordest
- Chinese embassy in Rome
- Artribune
Locations
- Belluno
- Veneto
- Italy
- China
- Rome
- Shanghai
- Beijing
- Shenzhen