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Armed Forces Day on the hundred-year anniversary of the end of the Great War

2018 marks the centenary of the end of the Great War, and numerous events have been held in the UK over the course of the year, particularly in places that are emblematic of the war, to commemorate events that shaped the lives of past generations. At a gathering of the Italian Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza in Piazza Unità d’Italia in Trieste, Elisabetta Trenta, the Italian minister of defence said: “The events of a hundred years ago must serve as a warning for the future, so that the nightmare of the war never fades from our memories. We must be aware that there are numerous dangers that currently threaten the security of the entire international community. Today peace is not something to be taken for granted but something that must be built and preserved every day.” She acknowledged the work of the armed forces: “Sincere thanks are due to our armed forces, which continue, although in different ways, to help thousands of isolated families, doing everything they can to protect our country from the violence of heavy rains and bad weather. In doing so, they show themselves to be the backbone of our country.”

An important event was held at the Embassy of Italy in London on Tuesday 6 November, where the ambassador, Raffaele Trombetta, and the defence attaché, Giovanni Gagliano, hosted representatives from the British Ministry of Defence, the military attachés from many of the diplomatic representations in London, members of the Italian armed forces posted in the UK, and numerous members of the Italian community in the UK.

The participation of the guests contributed significantly to the success of the event, reawakening and re-energising the memory of experiences that tragically marked Europe and taught us that there is no alternative to brotherhood among countries that share a culture and that have, over centuries of wars, developed an awareness of the value of peace and cooperation in order to build a secure future.

Testifying to the excellent relationship between the British and Italian armed forces, the guests included the Rt Hon Earl Howe, the British undersecretary of state for defence, and the Rt Hon Mark Lancaster TD MP, the undersecretary of the armed forces.

The event included a photographic exhibition entitled “Storming the skies. The saga of the Italian front: unconventional aspects of a war”, organised by the municipality of Vittorio Veneto in collaboration with the Italian army’s history department. A delegation from Vittorio Veneto was also present, headed by the town’s mayor, Roberto Tonon.

 

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