The eyes of the world are on Casale - 23 buses from Casale to the Turin hearing

[Niccolò Bruna]

While waiting for the verdict, retired math and science teacher Giovanni Condolo, remembers a tour at the Ronzone plant where he was taking one of his classes from Ticineto on a school trip.

The story was posted on Facebook yesterday: ‘The managers welcomed us and took us round the facilities’.

Then they got annoyed when a girl asked them how many people who worked at Eternit ever reached retirement age. The teacher asked the girl why she was asking such a question and she said: ’My father told me to ask’. ‘And what does your father do?’ asked the teacher. He is a doctor she answered.

The managers were trained to answer the treacherous questions but how were they to deal with a young busybody. This is what the people of Casale can not forgive, even before being informed of the technical and legal motivations in the February the 13th verdict: the fact that the owners of Eternit and the top management knew that asbestos killed, but in spite of their knowledge, they continued to process it and spread it.

There will be many listening to the verdict in the court, and many throughout the world will hear it streamed (on www.afeva.it and www.radiogold.it). In English onhttp://asbestosinthedock.ning.com/

Silvana Mossano,

La Stampa, Casale Monferrato

[Yvonne Waterman]

The judge is naming all the victims who have become part of the trial. There are thousands of them; it will take quite a while.

[Yvonne Waterman]

This huge, unprecedented trial could not have come about without the determination of the Italian victims and the perseverance of their public prosecutor, Guariniello. It showcases how strong the international asbestos victims' community can be when it teams up together against one of the world's largest industrial enterprises. No longer David against Goliath, but one global Goliath against another.

A positive verdict will have huge repercussions for Eternit managers worldwide: the uncovered evidence in this trial may well be brought against them, too, both in civil and in criminal cases.

Society will benefit from discovering its asbestos history; victims will receive compensation and recognition, and the damages may also serve to remove asbestos from the environment.

Last but not least, this trial has given considerable impetus in the global fight against asbestos, strengthened international ties, important evidence has been shared from many countries and sources to help the Italian victims. Never before have victims worldwide taken such a united stand against asbestos. It makes one proud.