On the occasion of November 4, Italy’s National Unity and Armed Forces Day, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, laid a laurel wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland) in Rome. The Head of State then reviewed the military formations assembled in Piazza Venezia, accompanied by Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto.
Present at the ceremony were the President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, the President of the Constitutional Court, Giovanni Amoroso, as well as the senior leadership of the Armed Forces and Police Corps.
On this solemn occasion, President Mattarella sent the following message to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto:
“(Courtesy translation). In the year marking the eightieth anniversary of the Italian people’s free choice of the Republic, the celebration of National Unity and Armed Forces Day takes on particular significance.
The Armed Forces’ oath of loyalty to the Republic is rooted in the values of our Constitution, a heritage of principles safeguarded so that successive generations may unite the memory of the past with hope for the future of our national community, and so that the horrors experienced during the World Wars may never be repeated.
Today, we celebrate above all the fulfillment of the Risorgimento’s aspiration for a united, free, and independent homeland, as well as the path that, through the struggle for Liberation, secured freedom and democracy for our people and earned Italy a respected place among nations through the Republic’s enduring commitment to peace and international cooperation.
At a time of extraordinary complexity in international affairs, the Armed Forces are engaged around the world in efforts to preserve peace where it is threatened and, alongside our Allies, to safeguard areas of vital importance to our nation’s security and prosperity. Their dedication and daily service are invaluable in countering threats directed against the community to which we belong and in upholding respect for international law.
Traditional conflicts continue to shed blood across vast regions of the world, including Europe. They are now compounded by the spread of disinformation, competition in space, the cyber domain, and the pervasive use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, areas in which acts of aggression are expanding at an alarming pace.
This evolving landscape demands a profound capacity for renewal: the rapid integration of new technologies and the development of the capabilities needed to meet future challenges. In this regard, the establishment of a common European defense, complementary to the Atlantic Alliance, appears increasingly urgent.
On this day, the Italian people pay solemn tribute to all those who gave their lives for Italy, leaving us a legacy of freedom and unity that we celebrate with renewed awareness. Today, we also remember with particular sorrow and heartfelt sympathy the members of our Armed Forces who lost their lives in recent days in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A deep bond of trust and gratitude unites the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Carabinieri, and the Guardia di Finanza with the national community of which they are an integral part.
With these sentiments, I extend my warmest wishes to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, carabinieri, members of the Guardia di Finanza, civilian personnel of the Ministry of Defense, and their families.
Long live the Armed Forces. Long live the Republic.”
