by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Riccardo Riccardi, Councilor for Health, Social Policies, and Disability; Sebastiano Favero, president of the Associazione Nazionale Alpini (ANA, the National Association of Alpini).
The extraordinary relief effort led by Italy’s Alpine troops after the devastating 1976 Friuli earthquake laid the foundations for what would later become the country’s national Civil Protection system, regional officials said Tuesday during the presentation of a new book and documentary commemorating the disaster.
Speaking at the Regional Government Palace in Trieste, Riccardo Riccardi, the regional councillor responsible for Civil Protection, said the Alpini’s work in the aftermath of the earthquake represented “the first seed” of a model of organized emergency response that has since become one of Italy’s defining public institutions.
“Remembering that experience through a book and a documentary, with the support of the Region, is a duty,” Riccardi said.
The publication, Gli Alpini ai fraidis (“The Alpini to Their Brothers”), documents the role of the National Alpini Association (ANA) in rebuilding Friuli after the earthquake struck in May 1976 and was followed by powerful aftershocks later that year.
Across 224 pages, the volume brings together photographs, archival material and firsthand testimonies from the 11 reconstruction sites where thousands of Alpini volunteers contributed more than one million hours of labor. Their efforts focused first on rebuilding schools and facilities for elderly residents, reflecting the urgent social priorities of the time.
The book was edited by Colonel Mario Renna and Laura Rosa of the ANA Study Center, with contributions from Mauro Bondi and Paolo Saviolo.
ANA President Sebastiano Favero, who attended the event, said the anniversary is not only about preserving historical memory but also about promoting solidarity among younger generations through educational initiatives, including the association’s youth camps. He argued that the word together should once again become central to civic life, warning against the growing social isolation fostered by excessive dependence on smartphones.
Favero also recalled the devastating aftershock of Sept. 15, 1976, which struck just months after the initial earthquake. Rather than breaking the determination of Friuli’s communities, he said, it strengthened their resolve to rebuild.
A documentary based on the project will premiere in Milan on Sept. 15, marking the 50th anniversary of that second major earthquake and honoring the volunteers whose response became a model for emergency management across Italy.
