In observance of the National Day of the Sacrifice of Italian Labor in the World, the Vice President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, offers his thoughts on the commemoration held at the Monongah mining site in the United States, where a tragic event in the history of Italian labor occurred on Dec. 6, 1907, along with that of Marcinelle.
“The duty of remembrance binds us strongly to the Monongah catastrophe,” the Minister said, recalling that on that occasion “hundreds of Italian miners lost their lives as they contributed to the economic growth of the country that had welcomed them and to the welfare of their families, who often remained far away in their home villages in Italy.”
In the message sent to the member for the United States of the General Council of Italians Abroad, Vincenzo Arcobelli, and read by the Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia, Cristiana Mele, the Minister highlighted the “important contribution of a significant community of compatriots and Italian descendants. They have become an integral part of the political, economic, social, and cultural fabric of the United States, while maintaining a strong connection to their Italian heritage.” He also expressed the government’s gratitude to “Italian workers around the globe and their representative bodies for their invaluable contributions to our country.”
