by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Giuseppe Petronzi – prefect of Trieste
As the city prepared to welcome the new year, hundreds gathered on the monumental Scalinata Reale, a few steps from Piazza Unità d’Italia, for the annual Saluto alla città, a civic ceremony dedicated to those who safeguard public safety and respond to emergencies across the region.
The event brought together members of the police and armed forces, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, Civil Protection volunteers, and other public service workers who, throughout the year, have operated on the front lines of the community’s well-being. It was conceived as a collective moment of gratitude, offering the city a chance to publicly acknowledge those whose work often unfolds far from public view but is critical in moments of crisis.
Speakers at the ceremony emphasized the idea of service as a vocation rather than simply a profession, describing those in uniform and in emergency roles as constant guardians of the public. Their daily commitment, it was said, ensures that residents and visitors alike can move through the city with a sense of safety and trust.
The setting itself underscored the symbolic weight of the occasion. With the Adriatic Sea behind them and the grand architecture of Trieste’s historic center as a backdrop, representatives of different branches of public service stood side by side, reflecting the interlocking nature of their work — from disaster response and medical care to policing and civil defense.
The Saluto alla città has become a fixture of Trieste’s calendar, marking the transition into the new year with a ritual of recognition. Rather than focusing on celebrations or fireworks, it places the spotlight on those who will remain on duty as others gather with family and friends, ready to respond to whatever the coming hours might bring.
As 2024 drew to a close, the ceremony offered a quiet but resonant message: before the city turns the page to a new year, it pauses to thank those who, day after day, keep it running and keep it safe.
