The honorary citizenship that the municipal administration wanted to grant to the writer Elma Sant’Ana represents a vitally important step in preserving the twinning that binds the communities of Aprilia and Mostardas in the name of Menotti Garibaldi, a heroic leader born in Brazil in the Rio Grande do Sul and buried in the locality named Carano Garibaldi in his honor.
This morning the mayor of Aprilia Lanfranco Principi gave Professor Elma Sant’Ana the certificate which ratifies the will expressed by the city council with a unanimous resolution.
Present at the ceremony, moderated by the Chief of Staff of the Municipality of Aprilia Marcello Rampolla del Tindaro, councilors and councilors of the Municipality of Aprilia, the councilor Monia Bastianelli representing the Municipality of Velletri, the president of the municipal council of Cisterna Quirino Mancini, the president of the Twinning Committee Francesco Argondizzo, the culture councilor with responsibility for twinning of the Municipality of Aprilia Elvis Martino. The celebration was enlivened by the music of the teacher Maria Ausilia D’Antona, who sang the anthems of Brazil and Italy, the Laeta Corda choir directed by the Maestro Christian Alderete and the maestro Loris Zecchin.
The First Citizen of Aprilia signed and delivered the certificate for the granting of honorary citizenship to the writer Elma Sant’Ana, while the professor, due to the historical link between Aprilia and Mostardas, gave the mayor Principi the flag of Brazil, a coin minted with the figure of Anita Garibaldi imprinted on it, the birth certificate of Menotti Garibaldi, which took place on 16 September 1940 in Mostardas in Rio Grande Do Sul and a study notebook which recalls the roots of the twinning, which began on 26 April 1996 with the Council led by Gianni Cosmi.
“It is not accidental – the Mayor remarked in his speech – the choice to organize today the ceremony to grant honorary citizenship to the illustrious writer Elma Sant’Ana, who dedicated her life to the study of the historical relevance of the figure of Menotti Garibaldi and which was the inspiration for the twinning between the two cities, completed in 1996 by the council led by Gianni Cosmi. Honorary citizenship is the highest recognition that a municipality decides to grant to personalities who have distinguished themselves for particular merits, for actions, for works of genius, through which they have brought prestige to the city. In the case of Professor Elma Sant’Ana, who today receives this honor, it is also the administration that has the honor of being able to call a fellow citizen a scholar who, more than any other researcher, has been able to enhance the figure of Menotti Garibaldi through his important books – “Menotti, the leader son of Anita and Garibaldi”, just to mention one title – but above all he had the merit of creating a bridge between two places that were so distant, but united in the memory of the famous leader. Aprilia owes her a lot, for having given impetus to the Aprilia-Mostardas twinning now 28 years ago and for having actively contributed to keeping it alive. For these reasons, starting from this day, it will be an honor to be able to consider it in all respects a citizen of Aprilia.”
“Writers are not the protagonists – underlined Professor Elma Sant’Ana – our mission is to shed light so that historical facts do not risk being lost. Twinning has kept alive the flame that binds our communities, carrying forward a project started in 1994, the date of my first meeting in Caprera with General Calogero Rinaldi and Domenico Di Stefano. I like to remember those who started the twinning with me, the mayor Gianni Cosmi, Osvaldo Sbattella, Giustino Izzo, Mario Berna, Ciotti, Marco Davi and Francesco Argondizzo. I also remember the friends who left us prematurely, Domenico Di Stefano, General Rinaldi, Maria Stefania Ravizza Garibaldi and the journalist Gianfranco Compagno. Today we reap the fruits of seeds grown many years ago and we are available to make new seeds germinate through this connection.”
“I thank our mayor – remarked the president of the Twinning Committee Francesco Argondizzo – for having collected this ancient seed, useful for culturally and spiritually uniting communities that belong to the same world. This bond also represents a message of peace.”
“A touching ceremony – concluded councilor Elvis Martino – and I thank the president of the Twinning Committee for having put forward this important proposal. I would like to remember those who actively worked to keep the twinning alive, the journalist Gianfranco Compagno and Maria Stefania Ravizza Garibaldi. As an administration we are continuing an important work aimed at remembering the figure of Menotti Garibaldi in schools, as also happened through the Festival of Cultures. Heartfelt thanks to Elma Sant’Ana, the bond of friendship between our cities inspired by her is a source of pride.”
