Stronger Than the Darkness: Marco Bottardi presents his book in Desenzano

“Più forte del buio Desenzano” is the title of the event scheduled for Monday, September 7, 2026, at 8.30 p.m. in the cloister of Santa Maria de Senioribus at the G. Rambotti Civic Archaeological Museum. Marco Bottardi will present his second book through music, staged readings and monologues. The evening is being held under the patronage of the City of Desenzano del Garda, at a fully accessible venue.

Bottardi was 36 when, on April 19, 2010, a motorcycle accident caused fractures to three vertebrae and a spinal-cord injury. The book focuses above all on what came afterwards: anger, living with a different body and rebuilding a new identity. That experience led to a commitment to improving accessibility in places, services and accommodation facilities.

Between 2012 and 2015, Bottardi worked to remove barriers at Desenzano railway station. In 2013, at Fraglia Vela Desenzano, he founded D284 – il PARAdiso, a project dedicated to Paralympic sailing. In 2015, he also helped bring the Meeting del Garda – Italian Handbike Championship to the area and contributed to the creation, at the port of Rivoltella, of the first beach in Lombardy and on Lake Garda equipped for people with disabilities.

His commitment continued with Zero Barriere ODV, founded in 2019 from the experience of Garda Lago Accessibile ASD, and with World4All, co-founded in 2022 with Marvin Milanese and Nicolò Marostica. Bottardi’s educational projects have reached more than 80 schools and 1,500 students, while training in inclusive hospitality has involved more than 50 organisations and over 800 professionals.

In 2023, Bottardi helped create four accessible itineraries on Lake Garda as part of the STAI project. In 2024, he was heard by the Chamber of Deputies’ X Commission on accessible tourism.

After greetings from Mayor Guido Malinverno, Gianpietro Ghidini, president of the Ema PesciolinoRosso Foundation, will speak. The narration by Margherita Frigo, Barbara Papa and Ghidini himself will accompany five acts featuring readings, live music and monologues. Bottardi will be the focus of the third act. The music will be performed by Nicolò Castrini and the band Corimè, with artistic direction by Tt Castrini on accordion and hosting by Gianluca Gerosa. Admission requires a voluntary minimum donation of 20 euros, and participants will receive the first edition of the book as a gift.