April 25, 2025: Mattarella, Meloni and the tribute to the Resistance in an Italy that does not forget.

April 25 is a fundamental date in the history of Italy, the day that marks the end of the fascist dictatorship and Nazi occupation, and celebrates the Liberation of the country thanks to the commitment of the partisans and the resistance forces. This year, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella underlined the importance of continuing to keep alive the memory and values ​​of the Resistance, remembering the sacrifice of those who fought for freedom and democracy. The day was a succession of official commemorations, including the tribute to the Altar of the Fatherland and a special visit to Genoa, one of the symbolic cities of the Resistance.

Mattarella's message: "Always time for resistance"

Sergio Mattarella began his celebratory day with a tribute at the Altar of the Fatherland in Rome, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. After this solemn tribute, the president went to Genoa, for a meeting with the city that in recent years has represented a symbol of the fight against oppression and commitment to freedom. In a speech full of meaning, Mattarella underlined how the Resistance is not just a page of history, but an ever-present value.

“From Liguria came a strong lesson on the morality of the Resistance,” said Mattarella, explaining how that fight was directed against a conflict that did not arise from the defense of a community, but from the aggression to the freedom of other peoples. It is, in fact, in the Resistance that the roots of our Republic and the construction of Europe as a great space of peace are sunk, the head of state reiterated.

A significant passage of the speech also concerned the teaching of Pope Francis, whose reflection on global peace and equality among peoples was recalled by Mattarella. "You cannot be at peace only for some. Well-being for a few, leaving poverty, hunger, underdevelopment, wars, to others", said the president, expressing a concept of social justice that remains universal and that still today calls for the fight against inequalities.

The Resistance and the Value of Solidarity

Another key moment in Mattarella's speech was the memory of the protagonists of the Resistance, especially those who fought in Liguria. The region, which made a fundamental contribution to the Liberation, was honored for its cities and provinces that obtained the Gold Medal for Military Valor for the fight against fascism and Nazism. Genoa, Savona, Imperia and La Spezia are just some of the places that saw the sacrifice of thousands of people.

Mattarella also recalled the specificities of the Ligurian Resistance, characterized by solidarity, respect and brotherhood among the partisans. These values ​​were reflected in daily behavior, such as respect for rules and for people, and in the importance that partisan leaders, such as Aldo Gastaldi, “Bisagno”, gave to personal responsibility, as well as justice and freedom.

Giorgia Meloni: a commitment to democracy and against totalitarianism

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, present at the celebrations together with Mattarella, renewed the government's commitment to honor the democratic values ​​that the Resistance defended and that are today embodied in our Constitution. "Today Italy celebrates the eightieth anniversary of the Liberation," said Meloni, recalling that democracy finds its strength in mutual respect and discussion, not in oppression and totalitarianism.

The Prime Minister wanted to underline how fascism had denied the fundamental rights of Italians, but that today, thanks to the struggle of the partisans and to what was the construction of the Republic, these rights are an integral part of our national identity. Meloni also expressed the hope that April 25 may increasingly become a moment of harmony and an opportunity to reaffirm our will to defend democracy and freedom against every form of authoritarianism and violence.

Genoa and the Resistance: a city that said no to tyranny

The city of Genoa was the protagonist of a central chapter of the Italian Resistance. As Mattarella recalled, crucial episodes took place here, such as the strikes of 1943-1944 and the battles against the Nazi and Fascist occupying forces. The Ligurian Resistance was not only a military struggle, but also a struggle for the dignity and freedom of the Italian people.

Genoa also saw the sacrifice of many foreign partisans, such as Fiodor Andrianovic Poletaev, a Russian soldier who joined the fight against the Nazi occupation and died during the Battle of Cantalupo. His gold medal for military valor is a sign of the international solidarity that characterized the Resistance. The example of these men and women who came from distant countries is a warning to never forget that the fight for freedom is global and shared by all peoples.

A Call for Democratic Participation

In his speech, Mattarella launched an important appeal for democratic participation, recalling that the Resistance is also a warning against indifference and abstentionism. Democracy, in fact, is a value that is nourished by the active participation of citizens, their choices and respect for human rights. "We cannot surrender to absenteeism from public affairs", said Mattarella, calling on everyone not to take for granted what has been achieved with enormous sacrifices. Historical memory, especially that of the Resistance, must be a beacon for the daily commitment to building a just and free society.

April 25, 2025, through the words of Mattarella and Meloni, was a call to memory and a warning for the future: the Resistance is not just an event of the past, but a struggle that continues to be relevant today. Its legacy is reflected in the values ​​of our Constitution, in our national identity and in a Europe that is born from the desire for peace and solidarity between peoples. As Pope Francis said, "it is not possible to be satisfied with what has already been achieved in the past", but each generation must carry on the fight for justice, freedom and peace.

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