Many of you have asked me how did it feel to be standing there at the Élysée. Well, I was excited for what was happening to me and for what I represented at that moment: my magazine Vogue and my country. I was the only Italian, and proud of it.
And while I was waiting, I wondered what role do emotions play for a human being and I realized they have the same role as a puppeteer. Without him pulling the strings, the puppets would just be standing still, or lying down motionless and lifeless.
Emotions help you relish life and perceive things that others cannot feel. You get emotional when looking at a landscape, a work of art, a photograph, the face of a beautiful woman. You feel strong emotions when you are aware you are creating something different, and even more so when people appreciate your work.
Often people are embarrassed about feeling emotions or even showing them. Often emotions are considered a sign of weakness. In my opinion, they are a sign of strength because they show we are still capable of feeling, suffering and loving. You are so moved by a film it drives you to tears? So what? There's nothing to be ashamed of.
Without emotions everything would look dull and boring and sad -- a little like those poor puppets abandoned backstage in a small theater. Life is already a great emotion in itself -- and I think that young people who have big dreams should live them with emotion, or they will only conceive soulless projects, unemotionally.
As Lucio Battisti used to sing "Capire tu non puoi, tu chiamale se vuoi... emozioni": Understand you can't, but call them, if you want... emotions. All the time, always. Free to show them to everybody!