Dacia Valent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dacia Valent
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| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 18 June 1989 – 12 June 1994 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 February 1963 Mogadishu, Somalia |
| Died | 22 January 2015 (aged 51) Rome, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Political party | PCI (1989–1991) PRC (1991–1994) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Dacia Soraya Valent (born February 12, 1963 – died January 22, 2015) was an Italian politician. She was born in Somalia and later became a Member of the European Parliament.
Early Life and Career
Dacia Valent was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her father was Italian, and her mother was Somali. She traveled a lot when she was young. In 1980, she moved to Udine, a city in Northern Italy, to live there permanently.
After studying Engineering for a while, Dacia Valent joined the Polizia di Stato, which is Italy's national police force. She first worked at a police station in Milan. Later, she moved to other police units. She even worked in a special service that protected important people in Palermo.
In 1989, while on duty, Dacia Valent faced a difficult situation. She reported that a man insulted her with racist comments. She also said her male colleagues did not help her enough. Dacia Valent spoke to the media about this incident. Because she stood up for herself and her background, she became well-known and gained public support.
Political Journey
Dacia Valent became active in the Italian Communist Party (PCI). With the support of the party's leader, Achille Occhetto, she ran for a seat in the European Parliament. In the 1989 elections, she was elected with about 76,000 votes.
As an independent member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the PCI, she sometimes had disagreements with the party. For example, in 1990, she wrote an article that caused a diplomatic issue with the government of Israel. Her statements led to a complaint from the Israeli Ambassador. The PCI leader, Achille Occhetto, then said that Valent's views were not those of the party.
While in Strasbourg, Dacia Valent was part of several important groups. She was a member of the Commission on Legal Affairs and Citizens Rights from 1989 to 1992. She also joined the Joint Assembly of the Convention between the ACP and the EEC from 1989 to 1994. From 1992, she was on the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs.
When the Italian Communist Party changed its name and direction, Dacia Valent chose not to join the new party. Instead, she joined the Communist Refoundation Party. However, she was later removed from this party. This happened after she expressed admiration for Gianfranco Fini, a politician from a different party.
Dacia Valent tried to run for office again with other parties but was not successful. In the 2004 European elections, she ran with the list of Antonio Di Pietro but was not elected.
Other Activities
On July 26, 1992, Dacia Valent started a non-governmental organization (NGO) called SCORE. She became its Chairwoman. This organization aimed to help people.
Later in her life, Dacia Valent became a Muslim. She then founded another organization called the Islamic Anti-Defamation League. This group offered a phone service to help Muslims report religious discrimination.
Death
Dacia Valent passed away on January 22, 2015, in Rome, Italy. She was in the hospital for other health issues when she had a heart attack.
See also
In Spanish: Dacia Valent para niños
