COLONIAL LIES

Meeting with war reporter Alberto Alpozzi
author of the three volumes on Italian colonialism

FRIDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2026 at 16:30
SALA FIGLIA DI IORIO HALL

Palazzo della Provincia di Pescara - Piazza Italia

by Luciano Troiano

Journalist Alberto Alpozzi from Turin opens the 2026 appointments of the "Fridays of Culture" organized by the association Pescara nel Cuore in collaboration with Fontevecchia.

The meeting with the Piedmontese writer and researcher will be hosted on Friday, February 20th at 16:30 in the Sala Figlia di Iorio of the Province of Pescara, in Piazza Italia, on the occasion of the presentation of his three volumes titled "Colonial Lies": a work resulting from years of research in the archives.

"The history of Italians in Africa has been completely overturned not through research, but thanks to the forced removal of events and all those elements that would have provided the core foundations of colonization - declares the author -. With this new book, a part of what has been concealed is brought to light: thousands of kilometers of roads and railways to create trade, modern agriculture, land reclamation and deserts made fertile, new and modern cities, tourism and museums that generated widespread prosperity." The presented facts have never appeared as topics of discussion within publications on colonial history, not even to be refuted, thus averting the threat that documents could demonstrate the development achieved by Italians in the colonies. These achievements have been banned by a sectarian and militant conformism that has denied anyone who made history with great works, reforms, and progress, creating the only nation in the world that takes pleasure in recognizing its own mistakes and looks with anguish at its past.

The books are the result of meticulous research work, presenting verifiable sources and public documents, and clarify some of the main doubts about the history of Italians in Africa. Were the colonies conquered, invaded, or legally acquired? Did Italy really abolish slavery in its colonies? Did indigenous workers have contracts or were they subjected to forced labor? Did the exploitation of the colonies' resources drain those territories? Could indigenous people attend schools? Were local customs, traditions, and religions suppressed? These are just some of the questions for which documented answers are provided, supported by a rich iconographic apparatus. The in-depth investigation in the archives provides new elements of analysis and food for thought to complete a still highly controversial historical picture.

"The lies found in many publications - adds Alpozzi - required the continuation of the verifications begun with the first volume. The new research is further demonstrating how a certain cultural elite is constantly engaged in spreading misrepresentations. There has been almost a complete lack of adequate study of the Italian colonial issue, giving wide space to far-fetched theses that stubbornly propose exclusively the errors, denying and excluding everything that could illustrate the achievements that would bring honor to Italy." The purpose of this book is to investigate the hidden aspects and demonstrate how many texts have been fabricated on legends, fantasies, and fake news. The work carried out is based on the search and re-elaboration of documents never taken into consideration and above all on the verification of those used for well-known publications.

"Colonial Lies" constitutes a further level of reflection capable of evolving the national public debate on the topic, enriching the reader with insights and unpublished news that can influence the historical judgment reached so far.

Alberto Alpozzi , born in 1979, freelance photojournalist from Turin, registered with the Order of Journalists of Piedmont, specialized in crisis areas, has documented and reported on the war in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Kosovo and in Somalia the anti-piracy mission. His reportages have been published by La Stampa, Il Sole 24 Ore, Il Giornale, Famiglia Cristiana, Torino Cronaca. For the German Bilderfest, he participated, as the only Italian, in the making of the television documentary "Ustica - Tragedy in the Skies".

Alpozzi taught photography and communication through images at the Polytechnic University of Turin - Faculty of Architecture from 2010 and held conferences and seminars at the University of Communication Sciences of Cagliari and Gorizia, Faculty of History of Siena and at the Faculty of Architecture of Turin. Since 2013 he has been conducting historical research on Italian colonialism in Somalia. Director of the website for current affairs and history "L'Italia Coloniale".Authorof the book "Journey into Italian Somalia" from 2016 for Eclettica Edizioni and "Mussolini's Lighthouse" from 2015 for 001 Edizioni. Curator of the historical blog "L'Italia Coloniale" . He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Italy (Turin, Milan, Venice, Alessandria and Novi Ligure) and abroad (Santo Andrè and São Paulo in Brazil). Recent exhibitions: April 2011 in Turin as part of the Biennale Democrazia event, exhibition titled "Inclusion/Exclusion" ; April 2012 in Tyre, Lebanon at the cultural center Bassel Al-Assad and in April 2015 at the CNH Industrial Village in Turin within the event "History & Glory" the exhibition titled "A reportage on the International Missions of the Italian Armed Forces" .

Sources:

Eclettica edizioni

Guardia d'Onore alle Reali Tombe del Pantheon

L'Italia coloniale

Feltrinelli

Photo credit:

L'Italia coloniale

Luciana Miocchi

Faro Francesco Crispi

Worldhistory.com - David Stanley

Idiariraccontano.org

Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale