The honors were delivered by the prefect of Palermo Massimo Mariani to the gloomy Politeama-Garibaldi. The event was opened by a performance by the brass band of the XII Carabinieri Regiment. The government representative paid homage to all those who fell at the hands of the mafia in the performance of their duty, not forgetting the victims of accidents at work and inviting young people to follow the ideals of freedom and justice by enriching their knowledge with culture for conscious growth. The honors of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic were then awarded. Giuseppe Costanza, the only survivor of the Capaci attack on 23 May 1992, was awarded the honor of officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic.
Among those honored was also Tina Mauro Martinez, wife of the agent who died in the Antonio Montinaro massacre, who was awarded the honor of knighthood for the civic commitment and social activity carried out through the Quarto Savona Diecici association of which she is president . Two “Victim of Terrorism” honors were also awarded, which are intended for Italian citizens, whether foreign or stateless, deceased or injured due to terrorist acts which occurred in the national territory and Italian citizens who died or injured as a result of terrorist acts and massacres of this nature, which occurred in extra-national territory.
Gold medal in memory of the chosen agent of the state police, Antonio Montinaro, escort leader of judge Giovanni Falcone, who died in the Capaci massacre of 23 May 1992 in which judge Giovanni Falcone lost their lives with his wife Francesca Morvillo and his colleagues of the escort, agents Vito Schifani and Rocco Dicillo. Gold Medal to the 1st corporal major of the Italian army, Giuseppe D’Anna, recognized as a victim of terrorism having been seriously injured during a mission in Afghanistan, on 8 August 2012, due to an explosion caused by an explosive device affected the vehicle on which he was carrying out motorized patrol activities near Bala Boluk, Farah province, Afghanistan.
Finally, a Gold medal for Civil Merit was awarded in memory of Rosario Fabio Oddo. During a fire in the apartment where he was sleeping with his family, after having taken his wife outside who was 6 months pregnant, he returned to the house to save his 5-year-old son. Having noticed the impossibility of walking down the stairs now invaded by flames, he wrapped the child in a blanket and, shielding him with his own body, threw himself from a second floor window and pulled him to safety, losing his life.
As part of the event, awards were also given to the educational institutions that participated in the “Freedom of the press and culture of legality” competition, organized by the Prefecture of Palermo, in collaboration with the Regional School Office – Sicily, l ‘Order of Journalists of Sicily and the Sicilian Press Association.
The initiative aims to raise awareness of the work of the journalist and the importance of freedom of the press, an indispensable value of the democratic system, in the fight against organized crime and the diffusion of the culture of legality.
Among the awarded schools was the Liceo Classico Statale “Umberto I” of Palermo, 1st place for the short film “Eroizzate”, dedicated to the memory of the officer Giuseppe D’Antoni and the Guardia di Finanza’s Guard Sebastiano Rapisarda. The State Educational Directorate II Circolo “Gianni Rodàri” of Villabate, 2nd place for the short film entitled “TG della memoria”, dedicated to the memory of Marshal of the State Police Lenin Mancuso. The “Sperone Pertini” State Comprehensive Institute of Palermo, 3rd place for the short film entitled “Lillo, a policeman for everyone”, dedicated to the memory of the State Police Agent Calogero Zucchetto.
The Commission has, first of all, decided to assign 3 special awards, in consideration of the particular characteristics of the work and the originality with which the students interpreted the initiative.
The “Mantegna – Bonanno” State Comprehensive Institute of Palermo, awarded for the short film entitled: “Mario and Salvatore, two heroes not to be forgotten”, dedicated to the memory of Marshal Mario Trapassi and Officer Salvatore Bartolotta of the Carabinieri. The “Maria Adelaide” State Boarding School of Palermo, awarded for the article entitled: “Savoca Giuseppe + 44. The thorny investigation of the Carabinieri Marshal Vito Ievolella”, dedicated to the memory of the Carabinieri Major Marshal Vito Ievolella. The “Vittorio Emanuele II” state classical high school of Palermo, awarded for the creation of the short film entitled: “That tragic morning of 11 January 1979”, dedicated to the memory of the Deputy Brigadier of the State Police Filadelfio Aparo.
The ceremony was enriched by the musical contribution of the “Antonio Scarlatti” Conservatory of Palermo with the AriaArcus Ensemble, from Maestro Luigi Sòllima’s ensemble music class, who performed the piece Allegro from the Quartet in D Major KV 2 8 5 for flute and strings by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and by the artistic performance of the students of the Choreutic High School of the “Regina Margherita” State Teachers’ Institute of Palermo, curated by Professor Sonia Moltisanti, who performed in a choreography entitled “We are Italy 2.0”.
