Italy’s President Ciampi Visits Solferino and San Martino for WWI Remembrance
It begins in San Martino della Battaglia and Solferino, on the border between the provinces of Brescia and Mantua, a journey through the places of memory of the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Today, precisely from Lower Garda, live on TV, at 12:20 PM, Ciampi will deliver a brief speech to Italians on the occasion of the celebration of Italy’s victory in the World War I (November 4, 1918), which marked the completion of Italy’s unification.
Details about the departure and the visit
The president’s visit to Brescia will begin at 10:30 AM when, after leaving the capital with the solemn celebration at the Altar of the Fatherland scheduled for 9:00 AM, the head of state will land at the Ghedi military airport. He will be greeted by an institutional delegation led by the Prefect of Brescia, Annamaria Cancellieri. A subsequent transfer by car will follow to Solferino, the site of the 1859 Risorgimento battle won by French and Piedmontese troops against the Austrians.
Meeting in Solferino and San Martino
In Solferino, the president will lay a wreath at the ossuary housed in the Rocca, a fortress built in the 11th century and renovated in the 17th century. This will be followed by a visit to the Red Cross memorial. By 11:45 AM, Ciampi will arrive in San Martino, beneath the cylindrical tower built in 1893 and dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II. Here, another official ceremony will be held, with the laying of a wreath in the presence of, among others, the Mayor of Desenzano, Felice Anelli, and the President of the Province of Brescia, Alberto Cavalli.
The final ceremony and the secrets of the day
The highlight of the day will be the visit to the Battle Museum where President Ciampi will deliver a speech to the nation, broadcast live by Rai. This concludes the official part of the visit. The rest remains top secret: nothing is known about the lunch and the president’s afternoon commitments. The only certainty is that the visit will be «quick and fleeting» and that it will be «sealed off», with extensive security measures.
A historic visit and the past
Nevertheless, it is an extraordinary visit: for 42 years, in fact, no President of the Republic had stopped in Desenzano. The last visit dates back to June 24, 1959, when Giovanni Gronchi travelled to these places with Charles De Gaulle, President of the French Republic. Both pilgrims between San Martino and Solferino, the land that has become a symbol, where a hundred years earlier the bloodiest battle of the Risorgimento took place.
