A difficult year is coming to an end . We are all well aware of the reasons for this, and as always, we hope for better times. Our hope is, first and foremost, for peace. Faced with the homes and dwellings devastated by bombings in Ukrainian cities, faced with the destruction of power plants, leaving children, the elderly, women, and men to endure the bitter winters of those lands, faced with the devastation of Gaza, where newborns are freezing to death, the desire for peace is ever greater, and the refusal of those who deny it because they feel stronger becomes ever more incomprehensible and repugnant.

This evening, December 31st, at 8:30 PM, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella delivered his traditional end-of-year address, his eleventh, from his study at the Quirinale Palace, broadcast across all networks . Mattarella thus retraced several key moments in Italian and international history , emphasizing the importance of social cohesion, responsibility, and each person's contribution to community life. "The Constituent Assembly, elected in conjunction with the referendum that sanctioned the republican choice, was able to find a valuable synthesis while the political dialectic developed amidst convergences and disagreements, some of which were very strong. In the morning, the constituents discussed—and opposed—the concrete government measures; in the afternoon, together, they composed the pieces of our Constitutional Charter. The Italian Constitution, which has inspired and guided the country for all these decades ."

Recalling Italy's role in the construction of Europe , Mattarella also recalled the 1957 Treaties of Rome and the Marshall Plan: "The images of the signing of the Treaties of Rome in 1957 convey a success and another decisive moment, with Italy at the forefront of building the new Europe. Europe itself and transatlantic relations, with the Marshall Plan, are the two pillars of reconstruction. The European Union and the Atlantic Alliance have consistently represented—and constitute—the coordinates of our international action."

The President then highlighted Italy's strength, founded on social cohesion in freedom and democracy : "Our true strength, social cohesion in freedom and democracy, has allowed us to make Italy the great country it is today. The legitimate debates between the various positions have contributed to concrete achievements that have changed people's lives for the better. Rights and duties have gradually become facts and no longer remained abstract statements. Reflecting on what we have achieved together is the premise for looking to the future with confidence and renewed shared commitment. An awareness of this history can give us the strength to calmly face the challenges and pitfalls of our time."

Finally, Mattarella addressed a message to young people, urging them to be protagonists of their future: "I would like to address the youngest in particular. Some—who judge you without really knowing you—describe you as distrustful, detached, angry: don't give up. Be demanding, courageous. Choose your future. Feel responsible like the generation that, eighty years ago, built modern Italy. Best wishes! Happy 2026! "

Behind the scenes of Mattarella's speech, a historic photo from June 2, 1946.

The photo of Federico Patellani, which became the symbol of the victory in the referendum for the Republic on June 2, 1946, is one of the elements chosen for the backdrop of the end-of-year speech by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who will commemorate the anniversary: 80 years in 2026.

The detail emerges from the backstage video, in the Quirinale Palace's glass-fronted room. The historic photo shows a smiling girl waving the Corriere della Sera, with the headline: "The Italian Republic is born." Over the years, that shot has been reproduced hundreds of times in books and posters. And even in works of art. Like the one featured in the backstage images: the photo is surmounted by the Italian flag, with the words "June 2, 1946" written underneath.

(Unioneonline/vf)

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