European Conference of Ventotene, the president Mattarella: “From a symbol of oppression to the cradle of European democracy”

“Ventotene from place of imprisonment and oppression on man and a sign of absolutism that gravitated over Italy with the fascist regime, has been transformed for some time into one of the inspiring places of the affirmation of the values ​​of peace and democracy that distinguish the experience of what has become the European Union. A place where the seeds of freedom and federalism that enriched the debate of European peoples towards the destination of a union of independent and free peoples were put in place “. This was stated by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in a message sent to the vice -president of the European Parliament, Pina Picierno, on the occasion of the first European Conference of Ventotene for peace and democracy.