PADUA – Sergio Giordani keeps going. The mayor of Padua confirms that the Municipality will install the Alpine statue and intervenes to quell the tensions that have undermined his government in recent days. The monument will be there and will soon be inaugurated in the Tito Livio park, with all due respect to the councilors and associations who consider the statue of an Alpine soldier with his hand resting on his rifle inappropriate for this historical moment. Yesterday the mayor issued a note extending his hand to the Alpine troops and sending a clear message to the most critical wing of the majority: “There’s no point in getting into controversies or creating lacerating divisions”. The pedestal has already been positioned: it will soon welcome the statue created by the sculptor Ettore Greco and costing 52 thousand euros.
Alpini, their role in society
«The Alpine troops – writes Giordani – in addition to being an indisputable part of our history, are today a community that on many occasions has shown immense generosity in the hardest moments. Just think of the Vaia storm or the commitment in the bad years of Covid. For this reason, years ago the administration decided to leave a tangible sign of thanks.” Giordani’s intervention is also a response to all the pacifist associations who would not like to see that musket from the First World War in a park. “Padua’s pacifist vocation is expressed strongly 365 days a year – highlights the mayor -, with a myriad of initiatives and projects”.
Statue of a woman in Prato della Valle
The feminist movements were also angry and have been calling for a statue of a woman (among the 78 statues of men) in Prato della Valle for years. Giordani also has a message for them: «There is another issue that is very close to my heart and that is the need to have a statue dedicated to a woman placed in a prestigious point of our centre. With the entire council I committed to finding the resources, 100 thousand euros, to start this project immediately. We will involve all of Padua in the idea collection phase and in the decision-making phase.”
Who is for and who is against
The case perhaps ends here, but the strong contrasts remain in a center-left majority that is often in fibrillation. On Wednesday, the Peace Councilor Francesca Benciolini (linked to a civic list and close to the world of pacifist associations) expressed herself clearly: «I have the utmost respect for the Alpine troops who represent our history, but it is important to give meaning to the symbols . In this international context I don’t think that putting a weapon at the center of an action does justice either to them or to the city». Flavio Zanonato, former centre-left mayor who governed Padua for three terms, is on the opposite side: «If we have to make a statue of an Alpine soldier, how do we want it? Do we want to put a flask in his hand? This historical revisionism reeks of ideology and is not serious pacifism.”
Tags: Padua Statue Alpine soldier mayor Sergio Giordani straight Ready inaugurate
