In Varese, on 6 June 31 years ago, the police officer Giorgio Vanoli died due to an accident. Vanoli had launched himself in pursuit of some criminals who had committed a theft. Attachment to his duty and a strong sense of civil responsibility characterized his commitment as a law enforcement officer serving citizens.
Today Giorgio’s story is remembered through the project “#ourstudentstellthemartyrsoflegality” by Ludovica Berardi, student of class III section. C of the “Filolao” scientific high school in Crotone.
“Today we will remember a young life who, due to his immense civic sense, met his death at the age of 27. It was June 6, 1993 when the Carabiniere Giorgio Vanoli was killed in Varese while trying to stop some criminals who had committed a theft; thus began a chase which caused an accident to the detriment of him, who, with great self-sacrifice, tried to bring the criminals to justice, regardless of what the danger might be. Subsequently, in February 2009, a gold medal for civil merit was awarded to his young wife. This recognition certainly did not do justice to such a senseless death or console the hearts of the people who loved him, but it will certainly have left an example for many young people so that one day they can understand that being on the side of honesty and justice can make this world in which we live a better world.”
Unfortunately no image of the heroic carabiniere remains on the web. It would be necessary to restore his memory also through the possibility of imprinting his face in the memory of posterity.
We believe it is our duty to commemorate these victims of the mafia, believing it is our duty to preserve their memory and keep their example alive at school.
Bringing the values of legality, sense of state and civic skills into every classroom means profoundly transforming society, positively impacting the future of young generations.
Legality has its function when it is expressed in knowledge of the principles that regulate coexistence between increasingly large, complex and interconnected aggregations of people and also involves the internalization of shared rules, which do not constitute an imposition, but the beating heart of a society that guarantees the freedom and dignity of the individual.
The National Coordination of Teachers of the discipline of Human Rights notes how the project “#ourstudentsnarratethemartyrsoflegality” is spreading among the young generations faces, stories and episodes that are truly extraordinary for their educational value.
Giorgio’s story, like all the others, reminds us that by sharing and nurturing the same ideals we can have a profound impact on our own reality.
Developing a critical sense and asking oneself the why of things become fundamental for the acquisition of maturity, awareness and civic sense.
Prof. Romano Pesavento
President CNDDU
