Champion of Peace, Officer and Journalist

Ernesto Moneta was only 15 when he first experienced war. Together with his father and brothers, he fought in the streets of Milan to free the city from the Austrians. This experience shaped his view of life: states ought to cooperate to prevent war and human slaughter. Moneta completed military training and fought with the freedom fighter Garibaldi, but left the forces and began work as a journalist. From 1867 on, he edited the daily paper Il Secolo in Milan. In his articles, Moneta wrote that the Italian army should be a popular militia only for use in wars of defense. The most important goal, however, was to cultivate a feeling of brotherhood among peoples.

In the 1890s, Moneta stood out as the unrivalled leader of the Italian peace movement.