April 18, 2020 – A petition to extend the Italian government’s so-called “Italy Care” decree to translators has been signed by several international authors. Organized by the “Strade” union of translators in the publishing sector, the petition asks the Italian government to include workers like translators subject to the copyright regime in the decree. The petition is on www.openpetition.eu and also available in English, translated by Johanna Bishop.
The more than 2,500 signatories include a number of distinguished authors, who have made important comments: “It is important that writers and translators be able to maintain their income”, writes Nobel Laureate John M. Coetzee, while Jonathan Franzen adds that “few people perform more vital work with less certain payment than translators”. Among the first to sign the petition were authors Nick Cave, Amy Hempel, Nicola Lagioia, Ernesto Ferrero, Fabio Geda, and translators Bruno Arpaia, Stefano Arduini, Franca Cavagnoli and Silvia Pareschi.
