This brief contribution is dedicated to the memory of Chinese doctor Li Wenliang
In mid-February, when the supposed first coronavirus patient was registered in Lombardy, Prato had already been the subject of public debate in national and international media. The rapid spread of the virus led to a national lockdown on 12 March, while the situation has been dramatically worsening with over 225,000 people testing positive and more than 31,000 deceased.
In the Italian city of Prato 22% of the population are foreigners, with 59% of them Chinese. Adding to this the irregular migrants, Prato has the highest proportion of migrants in Italy and one of the biggest Chinese communities in Europe. Since the last administrative elections of 2019, Prato has also two counsellors of Chinese origin in its city council. Prato is an emblematic case given its strong links with China and has the potential of highlighting how community resilience can counter both the spread of the virus and the spread of racism and xenophobia.
