A commemorative plaque dedicated to Melo da Bari a thousand years after his death. The photos – BariLive.it

Thanks to the commitment of the consuls associated with the consular corps of Puglia, Basilicata and Molise, thanks also to the support of the Banca Popolare di Puglia and Basilicata and the availability of the municipality of Bari, on the thousandth anniversary of the anniversary, a commemorative plaque dedicated to Melo was inaugurated from Bari, 1000 years after his death.

Present were the vice mayor Eugenio Di Sciascio, the municipal councilor delegated for the historical, artistic and architectural heritage Micaela Paparella, the consuls Ioana Gheorghias (Romania), Ugo Patroni Griffi (Switzerland), Pierluigi Rossi (Portugal), Massimo Salomone (Kingdom of the Netherlands), Luigi De Santis (Israel), Stefano Romanazzi (France) and Riccardo Di Matteo (Czech Republic).

A dutiful contribution to the figure of Melo da Bari, a legendary man from Bari who, in his adventurous life, held a political and diplomatic role of significant importance for the City.

Eugenio Di Sciascio, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Bari, declared «Melo da Bari is certainly one of the figures who characterized the transition from Byzantine to Norman domination and then thereafter. It is right to pay homage to him and remember him, because we citizens of Bari are still children of a very complex history, full of episodes and details and we are the fruit of this history.”

Ugo Patroni Griffi, Dean of the consular corps of Puglia, Basilicata and Molise and Consul of Switzerland, explained «The figure of Melo da Bari represented the indication of a city that opened up to the world. In the Middle Ages, there was a widespread expression, “For all the gold of Bari”, demonstrating how ours was a very rich and commercial city that lived on the sea and towards the sea. For this reason, I believe it is an excellent viaticum to remember the potential of the city which in recent years we are also rediscovering in its view of the sea”.

Micaela Paparella, municipal councilor responsible for the historical, artistic and architectural heritage of the Municipality of Bari stated «We want to thank on behalf of the Municipality of Bari, the consular corps of Puglia, Basilicata and Molise and the Banca Popolare di Puglia and Basilicata, which sponsored this laudable initiative. The goal is to remember that we have a history with truly complex and important roots. All those who pass by this central Murat shopping street will know that Melo da Bari is not just a toponym or the name of a school in the Libertà district, but a heroic fellow citizen, a revolutionary.”