With its over five hundred pages of documents, data, faces and images, the book “102 years of history” published by the Bergamo Section of the National Alpine Association was presented yesterday, Friday 28 June. In the Bergamo headquarters of Penne Nere, in via Gasparini, many gathered to celebrate the event.
The President was thrilled Giorgio Sonzogniwho recalled how the work to draft the book began in 2019 in view of the Centenary in 2021 and was then blocked by the pandemic in its crucial phases. But now everything is ready. The past presidents were there to greet the important vernissage Alexander Decius, Charles Macalli e Giovanni Ferrarithe new European parliamentarian Giorgio Gorithe Honorable Rebecca Ashthe regional councilors David Casati e Giovanni Malanchinithe councilor Ferruccio Rota for the Municipality of Bergamo, a representation of armed officers of the V Alpini, ready to be operational in Hungary, the president of the Gemona del Friuli section Ivo Del Negro.
Gori’s grandfather
Giorgio Gori, recalling his years as mayor, defined “a privilege to have enjoyed the support of a social machine like that of the Alpini, in festive situations and in unfortunately sad moments”. President Sonzogni recalled the commitment of Gori’s grandfather, Giovanni, who was sectional president from 1949 to 1969 and among the architects of the Bergamo Alpine Monument, inaugurated on the occasion of the 1962 rally.
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Remo FacchinettiNational Councilor Ana, brought the greetings of the President Sebastiano Favero, recalling how Bergamo is the first of the eighty Italian sections both for the number of groups (279 after the birth of the Fornovo San Giovanni group this year) and for members. «Bergamo is however at the forefront – he added – also for the quality of its commitment, in solidarity, in Civil Protection, in the School Camps. A work carried out with new generation councilors (18 out of 24 are under 60) and that we hope will bring the centenary Gathering of 2029 to Bergamo».
A book of memories
The historian Marco Cimmino illustrated the different sections of the book (published in 2000 copies by Grafica & Arte) which also dedicates a page to each group in the province. «It is a book of memories – underlined Cimmino – to crystallize a present in which the Alpine troops are always active. It is also an incentive to pass the baton, to know how to adapt and update, sometimes to know how to defend oneself, to continue over the centuries a commitment which over the years has become a hope for peace”.
The discussion
During the evening, President Giorgio Sonzogni remembered all those who collaborated, greeting among others the secretary’s daughter Antonio Arnoldcollaborator of The Echo of Bergamo. Laura Arnoldi took the floor and while applauding the publication (which she personally collaborated on), she reported, in her opinion, a censorship in the contents she produced, from which the memory of her father Antonio had been erased. «The Alpini say and repeat how one must be a gentleman – she stated – but then one must be one in deed», emphasizing that she was speaking in a personal capacity and not for the newspaper.
President Sonzogni, although annoyed by the release, highlighted everyone’s freedom to express their thoughts, but then read out a paragraph of his initial speech on the book. It states verbatim: «There are numerous members who have dedicated time, developing ideas, generous commitment and competent work to the writing of this book. Unfortunately some of them “moved on” without being able to see the work completed: above all Antonio Arnoldi. My simple but great thanks goes to him, and to all the people, some before and some since, who have collaborated in any capacity.”
The hall applauded President Sonzogni for a long time and perhaps, with an Alpine spirit, Antonio Arnoldi himself would have done the same. The evening began with the Mameli Anthem performed by the Fanfara Alpina della Ramera and the honors to the flag and ended with a refreshment seasoned with greetings, hugs and memories. Because 102 years of history are always worth telling.
