TRAPANI. The celebration of the 78th Republic Day took place on Sunday 2 June, which was attended by the Prefect of Trapani, Daniela Lupo, the civil, military and religious authorities of the province and the citizens. The celebration was held in front of the War Memorial in Piazza Vittorio Veneto starting at 9.45 am, with the flag-raising ceremony, the laying of the wreath, the reading of the message from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella and the greeting from the Prefect. Copies of the text of the Italian Constitution were delivered to a representation of young people involved in volunteering and sport; the ceremony ended with the performance of some songs by “Il piccolo coro Trentapiedi” and the display of the Tricolor on the facade of the Government Palace, by the Fire Brigade. Subsequently, in the reception hall of the Government Palace, the award ceremony of the Honors of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic took place. On this occasion, some songs were performed by the students of the Pop School Conservatory of Music “A. Receipt” of Trapani.
This year there were six prestigious Honors of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, awarded by the President of the Republic, which Prefect Daniela Lupo awarded to citizens of this province who have distinguished themselves in the institutions and in the social sphere.
Below is the list of Knights awarded:
Ermacora Giuseppe GUS – retired Senior Inspector of the State Police;
Giuseppe LENTINI – Retired Chief Commissioner of the State Police;
Angelo CAGNINO – Assistant Chief of the State Police;
Giuseppe LO CICERO – Concert pianist;
Vito QUINCI – retired Coast Guard Petty Officer;
Ignazio TRAPANI – Retired Financial Police Lieutenant.
In collaboration with the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, the provincial capital and the Superintendence for Cultural and Environmental Heritage, Palazzo Riccio di Morana, Palazzo D’Alì and Palazzo Milo-Pappalardo remained open to the public from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm .
The stands set up inside and outside the Government Palace by the Armed Forces, the Police Forces and the Italian Red Cross could be visited, as well as the Prefecture garden from 11.30 am to 2.00 pm and from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm.
GREETING FROM PREFECT DANIELA LUPO
Thank you Mr President, for the message which, first of all, recalls the close continuity between the struggle for liberation from Nazi-fascism and the referendum of 2 June 1946, in which the Italians also left behind them monarchy, and our Constitution which fully defines nature, i values, the institutional architecture of the Republic, guaranteeing freedom, equality and solidarity. I extend a greeting to the civil, military and religious authorities, to the military associations and fighting, to the Representatives of the Bodies and Associations who attended, to children from schools of all levels in the capital and the province, here also represented by the provincial student council and all people who are here for Republic Day.
The referendum of which today marks the 78th anniversary, a necessary premise for the formation of the Constitution, it was a choice made, for the first time, also with women’s vote, who responded with mass participation, as has been the case underlined the recent, intense film by Paola Cortellesi, in which the vote of 2 June is represented in all its value of hope for change and substantial equality for women in the Republic. The grandchildren of the young people of 1946 are now adults. Not everything has gone well in recent decades: the subversive massacres, the mafias, the pandemic, the wars that surround us have put and are putting a strain on the social estate in the country. Yet, that stability is there, confirming the solidity of the roots of the Republic, which are deeply rooted in sacrifices and the values of freedom, equality and solidarity that opposed the oppression of Nazi-fascism. A Republic that the democratic Constitution, founded on work, with sovereignty belonging to the people “who exercises it in the forms and limits of Constitution”, guarantor of the inviolable rights of man, in requesting “the fulfillment of the mandatory duties of political, economic and solidarity social”; made up of citizens of equal social dignity, equal before the law without distinctions, the Republic takes on the task of removing the obstacles of economic and social order which, “effectively limiting the freedom and equality of citizens, prevent the full development of the human person and the effective participation of all workers in political, economic and organization society of the country”. A Republic truly for all citizens, respectful and welcoming towards them foreigner, who is guaranteed inviolable rights, even with a school “open to everyone” (art.34).
President Sergio Mattarella wanted to remind us how it can be done facing the constitutional commitments of the Republic towards citizens: by activating “profitable synergies between local institutions”, favoring “connection paths between the center and territories”, always “enhancing the principle of autonomy in the horizon of solidarity”. Every day, in this area of Trapani, so significant for the Risorgimento Italian and for the fight against the mafia, a network of institutional and social entities civil society operates by actively living democracy, sharing values and of the responsibilities that the Constitution attributes to the Republic. For this reason, as a symbolic passing of the baton of solidarity commitment to construction of democracy, in everyday life, copies of the Constitution to a representation of young people engaged in social and sport.
