The Embassy in Berlin Celebrates National Unity and Armed Forces Day

The Embassy in Berlin Celebrates National Unity and Armed Forces Day

(ANSA) - BERLINO, 05 NOV - “Italy and Germany stand side by side, as allies and partners, united by common values and interests and a shared responsibility for the security and future of Europe.” With these words, Italian Ambassador to Berlin Fabrizio Bucci opened the celebrations for National Unity and Armed Forces Day at the Embassy. According to a statement from the embassy, the evening was attended by numerous high-ranking German civilian and military officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of the Italian community in Germany. In his remarks, the ambassador recalled the historical significance of November 4, a day that commemorates the armistice that ended World War I, with which Italy completed its journey toward national unification. He also highlighted the decisive role played by Italy and Germany in building the European project, which began amid the ruins of World War II and culminated in the birth of the European Union. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought war back to the European continent and reminded us that security must never be taken for granted,” Bucci stated, emphasizing the importance of a renewed awareness of shared responsibilities in the area of security. Following the speech by Jan Stoeß, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defense, Rear Admiral Antonio Galiuto, the Embassy’s Defense Attaché, took the floor to pay tribute to the sacrifice of Italian military personnel in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That morning, Bucci and Galiuto attended the ceremony commemorating Italian war dead, held at the Italian Military Cemetery in Zehlendorf, where they laid a wreath. The ceremony took place in the presence of the mayor of Treuenbrietzen, Robert-Walter Wildgrube, and the deputy mayor of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, Tim Richter, as well as representatives of the Italian community. Also present were Martin Bayer, director of the Berlin regional chapter of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V., and Anna Maria Sambuco, president of the National Association of Former Internees (ANEI) and daughter of an Italian internee. Read article...