The traditional ceremony celebrating National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day took place in Reggio Calabria.
The official demonstrations began at 11.30 am at the War Memorial in Corso Giacomo Matteotti, formerly Corso Vittorio Emanuele III, with the deposition of the Laurel Wreath by the Prefect of Reggio Calabria, representing the Government, accompanied by the Maritime Director of Calabria and Tyrrhenian Basilicata.
Following this, in Piazza Italia, the messages of the Head of State and the Minister of Defense were read, and the Honors of Merit of the Italian Republic were awarded to the recipients who went to:
Commander – Maria Carmela Ferrigno
Retired teacher of Italian language and literature
Knight – Stefano Azzaro
Lieutenant Special Charge of the Carabinieri
Knight – Antonio Pasquale Borgese
Official at the Cosenza Police Headquarters
Knight – Angelo D’Ascola
Retired State Police Commissioner
Knight – Daniele Di Mauro
Lieutenant of the Carabinieri
Knight – Antonio Lombardo
Inspector of the State Police
Knight – Luigi Zeccardo
Lieutenant Special Charge of the Carabinieri.
During the ceremony, an Italian flag, symbol of national unity, was also presented to the students of the “Lt. Col. Giovanni Familiari” Higher Education Institute of Melito Porto Salvo. The Armed Forces and the Police Forces proposed some demonstration actions which aroused great interest among those present.
The program will end at 5.15pm, again at the War Memorial, with the evocative flag-lowering ceremony.
Also this year the Ministry of Defense has confirmed Reggio Calabria among the 36 Italian cities protagonists of special initiatives on the occasion of the anniversary.
As part of the “Open Barracks” initiative, during the day it is possible to visit the Port Authorities of Reggio Calabria and Gioia Tauro, the Carabinieri Student School, the Carabinieri Companies of Gioia Tauro and Locri, as well as the Maritime Museum of Villa San Giovanni.
The program is completed by meetings organized at various schools in the capital, where students were able to dialogue with representatives of the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement, exploring the value of national unity and service to the country.