“For the third year I have had the pleasure and honor of attending the Vara Procession as mayor – declared the mayor Federico Basile – and the emotions, also on this occasion, were strong, intense and unforgettable. In the first two years of my mandate I have participated in several hundred events, meeting thousands of people, but the Vara always represents something extraordinary and inimitable that arouses great emotion in me on an unforgettable day. A unique event like yesterday’s, which, once again, marked an immense participation of our city, of tourists, curious people and people who came from everywhere, just to attend the event. It is right to thank all those who have allowed the realization of this great result as a tangible sign that the Procession of the Varain honor of Maria Assunta, plays a fundamental role in the city, in tourists and in us Messina, men of the Institutions, but first and foremost citizens and faithful. Each passage of the Vara, from the start to the sprints, from the turn to the final moments, has provoked a strong sense of emotion and emotion in observing the participation of my community in an event of international caliber, which, like every year, has aroused the interest of the mass media. I would like to thank Archbishop Giovanni Accolla, the Prefect, the Police Commissioner, the Municipal Police and the Metropolitan Police, the Carabinieri, the State Police, the Guardia di Finanza, the Navy, the Armed Forces, the Fire Brigade, the Volunteer and Cultural Associations that contributed to the program of collateral events, the Red Cross, the Archbishop’s Curia for the careful organization, the Municipality’s Participated Companies involved in this great adventure, the municipal staff of the various departments for having prepared the documents necessary for the event to take place, the Emergency Response service for the critical issues resolved, the Vara Historical Group for his contribution both on the historical and technical and organizational level, and the health sector, because it is with his commitment that the security plan could be implemented and the procession took place in an orderly fashion.
And last but not least the press that, through television, newspapers, dailies, websites and radio, have promoted the event locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. I associate the Vara with the city of Messina because we all have to row in the same direction to achieve the objectives without getting distracted, so that with the contribution of the entire citizenry we can work synergistically to reach the set goals, just as happened yesterday during the Vara route. To this end I want to thank the shooters but, as in everything, there are those who must guide the route and therefore a big thank you also to the helmsmen. This is the symbol of a city that, first with the De Luca Administration and now with minehas embarked on a new and different journey and we are certain that Messina will continue on this path to regain its identity, proud of its history and its roots. A warm hug to everyone in the name of our beloved Messina”. The Municipal Council joined Mayor Basile in thanking him, expressing “gratitude to all those who, thanks to their commitment, contributed to the success of the event. A special thanks to those who, with their support, contributed to the realization of the Procession and the fireworks, demonstrating once again a great sense of belonging to the city in what remains the most important and heartfelt celebration of our community and to all those who, with commitment, sweat and effort, physically carried the Vara to Piazza Duomo, giving us, as always, very strong and unique emotions”.