The Italian Republic Day is celebrated every year on June 2nd. On this day, in 1946, the famous institutional referendum took place in which the Italian people were called to decide between the monarchy and the republic.
It was also the first time Italians voted by universal suffrage. In the end, the votes for the republicans won, with a difference of about 2 million against the monarchists.
The celebrations took place for the first time in 1947, but June 2nd has been a national holiday since 1949.
On the occasion of the concert dedicated to the victims of the Covid-19 epidemic that took place in the gardens of the Quirinale (Presidential Palace) in Rome last night, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, stated: “only moral unity, which must precede the facts of political life, can make it possible to overcome the health and economic crises.”
This morning, with the parade of the armed forces canceled, the State authorities will go to the Altare della Patria (Vittoriano) to pay homage to the flame of the unknown soldier.
Even though Nice was never Italian – the House of Savoy in Nice became the Italian Royal House (in 1861) after the annexation of the County of Nice to France (in 1860) – the ties between the Italians (particularly the Piedmontese) and the people of Nice are intense and long-standing. Following the immigration of nationals from the peninsula, a good number of people in the Nice region are of Italian origin.
Today, there are almost 10 thousand Italian residents (nearly 40,000 in the consular district which includes the departments 04-05-06), to which we must add non-resident property owners and tourists.
Therefore, we can say that if the Italians and the people of Nice are not brotherly peoples, they are at least cousins!
In Nice, Italy is officially represented by its Consulate General. The traditional official ceremony in the gardens of the Consulate was canceled for health security reasons.
However, the Consul General Raffaele De Benedictis spoke in a video message from which we publish some excerpts:
The Italian Republic was born with a vocation for Peace, openness to other peoples and Nations, collaboration with them, integration with Europe, and respect and support for international Organizations.
These are goods and values that we must all defend and preserve with our personal commitment.
This national holiday is our celebration, the celebration of all Italians both on the peninsula and abroad. It is also an opportunity today to reaffirm and strengthen our friendship with France and Nice.
I send a special thought to all the compatriots here in Nice who work in the tourism, restaurant sectors, and in businesses and liberal professions. They honor the name of Italy.
Long live Italy, long live France, long live the friendship with Nice, and happy Republic Day to all of you and your families!!!
