Today 2 June, the Sala Maria Ida Viglino of the Regional Palace in Aosta hosted a solemn ceremony on the occasion of Republic Day, during which the honors were awarded to the new recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. The event, which began at 11 am, saw the participation of the President of the Valle d’Aosta Region, Renzo Testolin, in the exercise of his prefectural functions.
President Testolin underlined the importance of the day, stating: “The spirit of solidarity and subsidiarity animates this day. The Constitution, born from the Liberation, has given some territories like ours the possibility of benefiting from a statute of autonomy which it fits well into a path of subsidiarity and honest and healthy collaboration between institutions”. He added that this principle is deeply rooted in the Aosta Valley community, which works daily for the good of the ‘res publica’, offering coherent responses to citizens, without forgetting the weakest groups.
Among the new recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the entrepreneur Lamberto Vallarino Gancia received the honor of Commander of the Republic. Gancia, already awarded in 2016 with the title of “Amis de la Vallée d’Aoste”, was recognized for his commitment and contribution to the region.
Other honorees who have received the honor of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic include Alessandro Carlin, founding member and group leader of the National Alpine Association-section of Saint-Pierre; the Lieutenant for Special Charges of the Financial Police Fabio Fiorini; Carabinieri Lieutenant Adriano Marrale; the Deputy Police Commissioner Francesco Menchiari; the Lieutenant Commissioner of the Red Cross military corps Antonello Piffari and the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Carabinieri Francesco Vasciarelli.
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, established with Law 3 March 1951, n. 178, is the highest of the national Orders. It is intended to “reward merits acquired towards the nation in the fields of literature, the arts, the economy and in the disengagement of public offices and activities carried out for social, philanthropic and humanitarian purposes, as well as for long and notable services in civil and military”.
During his speech, Renzo Testolin (in the picture) highlighted how June 2nd is not only a celebration of the birth of the Italian Republic, but also a moment to reflect on the values of solidarity and subsidiarity that should guide the institutions. He concluded with a message of unity and cooperation: “A principle that our community knows very well, a principle of support in everyday life in favor of the ‘res publica’, of giving coherent responses to our citizens without forgetting the weakest groups. all institutions work towards this objective, with equal dignity. This is the message that must emerge from today.”
The ceremony represented a moment of great significance for the Aosta Valley community, reaffirming the value of collaboration and common commitment for the good of society. President Renzo Testolin was able to embody this spirit, paying homage to those who, with their work, contributed to strengthening these ideals in daily life.
