The Italian Republic is officially commemorated on the 2nd of June. A military parade is organized in Rome, with the President of the Republic and the authorities close by, while the people...wait a second. Where are the people? Where are the real subjects who are supposed to remember the day in 1946 when other Italians participated in the referendum that chased out the monarchy and gave a new form of government to the country? Even our former Prime Minister, who is usually fond of official parades (especially those with small soldiers marching proud), was sleeping. We are a country of paradoxes, and that was probably already clear. On the 2nd of June the majority of Italians are probably enjoying the day off and spending it with relatives and friends, but it is uncertain if they are really paying attention to the real significance of the day.

Since it’s impossible to find a shop that is open since everyone is preparing for the night’s banquet and fireworks on the 15th of August (Ferragosto, also Assumption day), and the concert held on the 1st of May in Rome is among the most anticipated throughout the entire year, the appropriate most choice for a day dedicated to unity is the 25th of April. That is the day in which the resistance defeated the Nazi-fascist regime and set the basis for Italy as we know it today.

The relevance of the 25th of April has always been quite contested, as some maintain it became a fractious celebration, the message of which is twisted by political parties and ideals that are no longer the same or no longer exist. But isn’t the Italian Constitution and its values valid for everyone without distinction? The Italian Constitution is the first result of the principles leading the partisan resistance: democracy and freedom. In fact, freedom is a different concept than liberation: some cannot recognize themselves in the partisans’ actions, that freedom is nevertheless a condition resulting from those resistance fighters. Sometimes, this do not seem clear to all Italians. Citizens are losing touch with the most important celebration of our Republic, reminding us how much our national identity is still in crisis. Maybe the 25th of April, is still the day on which all Italian citizens should remember that freedom is not yet a natural condition, and that it is still necessary to fight for it.

The article was originally written in English.

Photos: Valentina Perniciaro, www.mi-lorenteggio.com, Viviana Bernardini, http://gdlombardia.blogspot.com/, http://www.sionomagazine.com/, http://su-letterefilosofia.blogspot.com/, http://www.02blog.it/

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