Today we celebrate Republic Daya national anniversary that marks an important passage in Italian history which took place on 2 June 78 years ago: the institutional referendum to determine the form of government following the end of the Second World War.
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Republic Day celebrations in Legnano 4 of 8
Meeting in Largo Medaglie d’Oro where, in the presence of the authorities, representatives of the associations and the few citizens present, the mayor of Legnano Lorenzo Radice he opened the celebrations by reading as usual the message from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella who, in his speech, recalled the importance of this event for the history of our country.
«In 1946 – underlined the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella in his message read by the mayor Lorenzo Radice – the choice of the Italian people for the Republic wrote a decisive page of democracy and laid the foundations for a renewed social pact that would find complete articulation in the Constitutional Charter. An outcome which was reached after tragic war events and the struggle for liberation from Nazi-fascism, punctuated by multiple episodes of heroism, in which during this year with heartfelt participation the 80th is commemorated in numerous locations».
In his message, President Mattarella also recalls the importance of making and keeping memories alive. «Remember the ideal legacy of those founding events – said President Mattarella in his message read by the mayor of Legnano – it is a civic duty and a precious opportunity to reflect together on the reasons that animate the life of our community, now part of the wider community of the European Union”.
Following the reading of the President of the Republic’s message, Mayor Radice recalled in his speech the “Open Museums” initiative held as part of the celebrations for the city’s Centenary. «It still gives emotion today – said Radice – when visiting the small museum of the Carducci schools, to see the ballots and the ballot box of that referendum. It is from there, from the result of that urn, from the result of a simple cross drawn in pencil on a card, that an admittedly imperfect democracywhich is continually questioned, which is criticized and criticizable, but which is better than any form of authoritarian government where someone decides alone and for everyone, or where new and old forms of arrogance, violence, economic power and exploitation impose themselves on freedom and equality of citizens and peoples».
The mayor then remembered the assassination of Giacomo Matteotti, which occurred following his speech in the Chamber. «On June 10 – said Radice – we will celebrate 100 years since his death by Giacomo Matteotti. May 30, 1924 the Social Democratic deputy gave his last speech in the Chamber; an intervention in which he denounced the violence and abuses committed by the fascists to win the elections and in which he asked for the wholesale annulment of the election of the majority deputies following the vote of 6 April”. HERE IS THE FULL TEXT
The president of Associarma was also present in Largo Medaglie d’Oro for the celebrations Antonio Cortese. «This is the day when we must remember those who suffered to the point of extreme sacrifice– said Antonio Cortese – to leave to the younger generations a united Italy, whose memory represents the deepest and most sincere stimulus to fulfill the duties of Italian and European citizens».
The president of Associarma also recalled the numerous heroic acts carried out in favor of the birth of our republican institutions. «The acts of heroism of our soldiers – said Cortese – are witnessed by the numerous medals for military valor awarded to fighters who with their sacrifice also contributed to the birth of our republican institutions to which we owe democracy, freedom and progress». FULL TEXT HERE
The celebrations for the feast of June 2nd then continued at the Cascina Mazzafame in Legnano with the commemoration of80th anniversary of the partisan struggle.
