ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “At the Bois du Cazier the bell will accompany the names of the 262 workers who lost their lives in the dark of the mine. 136 Italians, emigrated to Belgium in search of a better future, but who met the most infamous of the destinies, far from their homeland and their loved ones. Marcinelle is a tragedy that will remain forever in the collective, Italian and European memory”. Thus, the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, in the video message at the event “Marcinelle 1956-2026 – The Europe of Work, Peoples and Dignity”, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the tragedy of Marcinelle.
“Marcinelle also represents a symbol. The symbol of the extraordinary contribution that tens of millions of Italians have given to the progress of the Nations that welcomed them. A great story, made of respect, rules, integration. But, above all, hard work and much sacrifice. Every August 8, in the anniversary of Marcinelle, Italy honors this story, the great history of Italian emigration”. “And it does so – he continued – thanks to the determination of a patriot like Mirko Tremaglia, who 25 years ago proposed and made to establish the “National Day of the sacrifice of Italian labor of the world”. “Marcinelle”, said Tremaglia in his first official visit to the mine, “represents the symbol of suffering, fatigue, blood shed on work by Italians in the world and their European brothers, and the superiority of that humanism of work then ignored that recognizes to those who work dignity and equality of rights and duties”. Rights and duties. Rules and work. Sacrifice and dedication. Marcinelle represents all this, and I am proud that the European institutions have also decided to recognize this story the dignity it deserves.”.
“The 8th of August will soon be proclaimed “European Day for Victims at Work” – he highlighted – a day to reaffirm the dignity of work, to renew the commitment to guarantee fair conditions to European and extra-European workers who respect the rules and contribute to the well-being of our societies, to affirm that there is no room for those who feed the channels of illegal immigration to have reduced labor and revise their rights. Because, for us, the message is clear: who exploits people, enslaves them and feeds criminal trafficking is unworthy of the European social model. The Italian Government has obviously firmly supported the establishment of this Day. A proposal launched by President Brunetta, who was carried out with particular commitment by Vice-President Sberna and the Gemma rapporteur. Thank you very much for the work you have done, and thanks also to Carlo Fidanza for wishing to promote this moment of reflection. Tomorrow we will celebrate the sacrifice of 262 workers. We will celebrate the value of work, of the person, of human dignity. Values that forge our identity and that are the compass of our action. To build a more just, more sympathetic Europe, closer to the needs of our peoples,” Meloni concluded.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
