Bologna, 18 March 2023 – Three years ago our country went through the darkest period of the Covid. Today, third national day in memory of the victimsto remember i five thousand dead of our territory, was organized by the Bologna Committee of the Italian Red Cross and 19 other associations, the initiative ‘Come, let’s walk together to do memory‘: the first appointment in via Saragozza, then in the foreground the arcades of St. Luke and the basilica on the Colle della Guardia. At 10 the greetings of the institutions and the forces of order in the garden of San Francesco. Among those present, Luca Rizzo Nervo, municipal councilor for health, and Marco Gamberini, vice president of the Bologna committee of the Red Cross.
“During those very long months, the Red Cross with its volunteers was close not only to the sick, to the hospitalized, to relatives isolated from the dearest loved ones – recalls Gamberini – , but also to those who were fragile, silent, often invisible, had stayed at home , alone or unable to go out, those who needed everything, daily shopping, medicines, help, comfort. The Red Cross was there as always, is there and will be there every time, also to remember that that happened, for better or for worse, should not be forgotten”.
4,488 white plaques have been placed under the arcades bearing the names and year of birth of the deceased Bolognese, flanked by a small LED candle, and five photos depicting the pandemic emergency on five continents. Along the climb, volunteers from the
organizing associations and it is possible to leave a thought on special signature books.
After filling Piazza Maggiore in 2022 with the names of people who died in
Bologna, this year the day will be lived on the road, walking together along the portico of San Luca. To facilitate the relatives of the victims and the people who want to pay homage to their loved ones, the commemorative plates of the deceased until March 2022 will be arranged in order
along the portico of via Saragozza and via di San Luca, while in the last section of the portico and in the square in front of the Sanctuary the plaques of the deceased will be placed in the last
year, from March to December 2022.
At 18, at sunset, in the courtyard of the basilica of San Luca there will be a moment of recollection and universal prayer with the voices of relatives, health workers, representatives of society
civil and of the various religious confessions, including Don Matteo Cella, treated in Nembro during the pandemic. Carlo Maver will end the moment, who will play a with his bandoneon
song dedicated to those who left us going up to heaven.
The day will end at 10pm, to allow the participants to descend from the Colle with their own steps illuminated by the 4,488 little lights arranged along the route.
Among the expected speeches, there will be those of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Yassine Lafram, president of the Italian Islamic Community Union, and Stefano Bicocchi in art
Vitus. Among the testimonies there will be those of the health workers of the Emergency Department, of the Intensive Care and of the Infectious Diseases of the Local Health Authority of Bologna and of the Irccs Policlinico
Sant’Orsola-Malpighi, who accompanied many people in their last hours.
