by InTrieste
In the days leading up to President Sergio Mattarella’s visit, the town of Gemona del Friuli is undergoing a careful transformation. Walls near the municipal building are being freshly painted, flowerbeds are being replanted, and Italian flags line the streets of the historic center, presenting a town both solemn and meticulously prepared.
The President of the Republic is expected to arrive on the afternoon of May 6 to attend a special session of the Regional Council marking the 50th anniversary of the devastating 1976 earthquake. The disaster claimed nearly 1,000 lives and destroyed approximately 18,000 homes, leaving a lasting imprint on the region’s identity.
In preparation for the visit, officials from the Quirinal Palace and the President’s security detail have conducted extensive inspections of all the locations included in the itinerary. According to the program, President Mattarella will land at the Rivolto air base before traveling by car to Gemona.
His first stop will be at the town cemetery, where he will lay a wreath at the monument commemorating nearly 400 victims of the earthquake. Later, at around 5:00 p.m., he is scheduled to attend the extraordinary session of the Regional Council at the Teatro Sociale. The event will also be attended by the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, along with Regional Council President Mauro Bordin, Gemona’s mayor Roberto Revelant, and Regional President Massimiliano Fedriga. President Mattarella is expected to deliver brief remarks at the conclusion of the session.
