Today, November 4, is National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day. At 9, atAltar of the Fatherland a Roma, the ceremony with laying of the wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes place, as usual, in the presence of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. With him, the high officials of the State, the Minister of Defense and the top military authorities. For safety reasons, for the entire duration of the ceremony, Piazza Venezia and various streets will remain closed to vehicular traffic, resulting in diversions and limitations on public transport. For the occasion, the main facade of Montecitorio palace it will be illuminated with the tricolor of the Italian flag from midnight today until dawn tomorrow.
Why we celebrate National Unity
November 4 wants to remember, in a special way, all the young people who sacrificed their lives for an ideal of homeland and attachment to duty. The celebration was established in 1919 as “Anniversary of Victory”, in memory of the fallen of the First World War. On November 4, 1918, the armistice signed at Villa Giusti (Padua) with the Austro-Hungarian Empire came into force. In Italy, the event coincides with the end of the First World War.
The armistice allowed the Italians to return to the territories of Trento and Trieste, and complete the process of national unification begun in the Risorgimento era. Today is also Armed Forces Day, since those days of 1918, both in Italy and in Europe, were dedicated to the funeral honors of the soldiers who died in the conflict.
The Unknown Soldier
To honor the sacrifices of the numerous soldiers who fell in defense of the Fatherland, on 4 November 1921, the burial of the "Unknown Soldier" took place in the Sacellum of the Altare della Patria in Rome. To reach the Vittoriano, the body of the "Unknown Soldier" was transported on a train from Aquileia to Rome, accompanied by the entire nation. His body was chosen randomly by a woman among those of the fallen without elements that could allow its recognition.
With Royal Decree n.1354 of 23 October 1922, 4 November was declared a national holiday. In 1949, the anniversary was confirmed in the civil calendar with the name National Unity Day. The Republic was founded on the memory of the Risorgimento and on the idea of the Great War as a further factor in the process of national unification.
Events connected to November 4th
On the occasion of National Unity Day and Armed Forces Day, state museums and archaeological parks will be open for free. The Minister of Culture proposed it, Gennaro Sangiuliano, for the first time in the history of the Republic. Furthermore, the Senate of the Republic, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, will celebrate these two events with a concert in the Chamber by the Interforce Band and the participation of Albano Carrisi. Men and women from the Italian Armed Forces will be present.
(Photo: Ministry of Defence, Great War 1915-1918, Facebook Pages)
