On the occasion of Republic Day, the Municipal Administration of Velletri placed a laurel wreath at the War Memorial in Piazza Garibaldi. This morning, Mayor Ascanio Cascella gave a speech to pay tribute to celebrate June 2nd, a National Day. Present at the ceremony were several members of the Executive, the City Council, the civil, military and religious authorities, the fighting and weapons associations as well as the Civil Protection.
Below is the full speech of the First Citizen:
“I thank and greet all the civil, military and religious authorities, the combat and arms associations as well as all those present who on this gloomy morning feel the desire to participate in today’s ceremony. We meet to celebrate an important anniversary for our nation: Republic Day. On this day we pay attention and reflect on the path that Italy has taken to become the democratic republic we know today. We remember how on 2 June 1946 the Italians were called to decide the future of the nation, following the end of the war, by expressing their vote through the institutional referendum. With extraordinary participation, men and women went to the polls and chose the Republic, marking the end of the monarchy. It was a moment of great awareness, an important act of popular will that accompanied Italy into a new phase of freedom and democracy, which led, the following year, to the approval of our Constitutional Charter which at the very beginning, after reiterating that I Italy is a democratic Republic founded on work, it explains how sovereignty belongs to the people. Those people who had fought and sacrificed their lives to restore freedom to our beautiful Italy. And therefore we extend our gratitude to those heroes. admiring his courage and determination which cannot fail to constitute an example for everyone and especially for those who are called upon to administer public affairs at all times. But Republic Day must not just be a moment of commemoration, it is also an opportunity to look forward and renew our commitment to the common good. Every day we must feel called to build a more just, inclusive and supportive society, which puts people’s needs at the center and promotes the active involvement of all citizens. In this context the role of institutions is fundamental. As Mayor, I want to reiterate the commitment and responsibility of the entire administration I represent, to operate with dedication and a democratic sense for the good of our community. In this regard, I would like to draw everyone’s attention to the beauty and richness of our territory which must be protected and enhanced, through sustainable and avant-garde policies that bring the products of our land back to the foreground and make our city attractive again.
On a day of celebration for Italy I would like to address a thought to all those peoples drawn from war conflicts so that they can, as soon as possible, see their end, and to those nations which still today lack a form of democratic government, where the rights of people are trampled on every day, I hope to follow the path that our fathers followed for us 78 years ago. Well, the freedom which is an expression of our daily life is an achievement that we must always valorise and never take for granted, because international dynamics unfortunately remind us how it can be constantly undermined, we can therefore never forget the sacrifices of our predecessors so that what we have at our disposal today could be our future. I would like to conclude by offering a wish of hope and trust. Hope in a future built on the basis of democratic principles and republican values. Confidence in our ability to face challenges and overcome difficulties, united by a spirit of solidarity and collaboration. Long live the Republic, Italy and Velletri!”.
