Catania, 26 October 2019 – The Sicilian Delegation of the Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy promoted a conference on H.M. King Vittorio Emanuele III in the 150th anniversary of his birth organized in collaboration with the National Institute of the Guard of Honour to the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon.
The event was sponsored by the Istituto del Nastro Azzurro fra Decorati al Valor Militare (Institute of the blue ribbon of men and women who were awarded decorations for military valour) – National Presidency, the Associazione del Fante (infantrymen’s association) and the Legion Garibaldina and was attended by a qualified and authoritative audience in the historic hall. Among attenders there was Col. Massimo Lucca, Commander of the Documentation Center, Col. Sebastiano Abbate representing the Commander of the 62nd Infantry Regiment of Sicily, the provincial Inspector of the Volunteer Nurses of the Italian Red Cross, Sr. Sebastiana Puglisi.
After the greetings of Dr. Rita Angela Carbonaro, Director of the United Libraries “Civica and A. Ursino Recupero” and of Comm. Giuseppe Restifo – Inspector of INGORTP for Sicily, the guest speakers took turns to deliver their speeches supported by images: Adm. Sebastiano A. Ponzio illustrated “The Knightly Orders of Vittorio Emanuele III”, Avv. Antonello Forestiere (Director of the Civic Museum of the Augusta Stronghold) spoke about “The military reform of 1933” and Dr. David Truscello (Provincial Delegate of INGORTP in Messina) about “The rebirth of Messina after the earthquake of 1908” and Dr. Francesco Giordano (Provincial Commendatore of the Legion Garibaldina in Catania) about the “Social and welfare work of the Monarchy in Catania in first forty years of the twentieth century”.
The following personalities took part in the event: the Vicar of Syracuse, Comm. Avv. Giorgio Nicastro del Lago, of Messina, Rev. Comm. Don Andrea Di Paola, of Agrigento – Caltanissetta – Rev. Comm. Don Giacomo Zangara, the provincial delegates of INGORTP from Catania, Comm. Ing. Salvatore Caruso, from Siracusa, Off. Ivan Grancagnolo, from Caltanissetta, Off. Vincenzo Falzone, from Trapani, Cav. Santi Barbera.
Despite the fact that a weather alert had been issued and that adverse weather conditions had continued since 25 October, the members of the Dynastic Orders, of INGORTP, of the Istituto del Nastro Azzurro and of Club Service from all the Provinces of Sicily attended the conference.
The conference ended with the projection of a 1942 newsreel by the Istituto Luce showing a visit of H.M. King Vittorio Emanuele III to Sicily, followed by an exquisite musical performance by Maestro Davide Sciacca. The proceedings of the conference will be collected and published.
