Republic Day of Italy or Festa della Repubblica is the Italian National Day and a festival of the republic, celebrated on the 2nd of June every year which commemorates the day when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in 1946 so that their country could become a republic. It celebrates the official formation of the Italian republic from World War II.
A military parade is held every year in Rome to commemorate this date and presided over by, along with the Prime Minister and other high officers of the State, the President of the Italian Republic in his role as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Initially, the first Sunday in June is the festival of the Albertine Statute, it is the Italian national holiday (a Constitution granted to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, Italy, by King Charles Albert, on 4.03.1848) prior to the foundation of the republic.
On 17th March 1861, Italy became a nation when most of the states and the regions were under King Victor Emmanuel II, hitherto king of Sardinia. Rome remained under Papacy rule for almost 10 years and on 20th September 1870, it became a part of the kingdom of Italy. It was the final date of the Italian Kingdom.
The biggest and most spectacular celebrations of Italian Republic Day take place at Rome, Italy’s cabinet seat, and Italy’s President’s residence. In 1948, the first military parade was held in Rome in the honor of the new Italian republic in Via Dei Fori Imperiali. With the entry of Italy into NATO, ten parades were held simultaneously across the country the following year, and in 1950, the parade was included for the first time in the official celebrations protocol. It includes the symbolic placing of a wreath on the Vittoriano Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Celebrations of Italian Republic Day
Festa della Repubblica Italiana is like other Italian holidays which symbolic traditional events. The festivities are currently under the direction of the President of the Italian Republic as Supreme Commander of the army, the laying in the Altara Della Patria, of a wreath at the Unknown Soldier, and of a military parade in the middle of Rome. The celebration is also attended by the Prime Minister, formally known as the President of the Council of Ministers and other high officers.
The military parade also includes some U.N. military delegations, NATO, European Union, and multinational department representatives with an Italian component.
The Italian embassy holds a special celebration on the 2nd of June and invites the heads of states of the host countries while the President of the Republic of Italy receives worldwide the best wishes. The ceremony begins in the afternoon with the Quirinale Palace Gardens, and the seat of President of Republic with a grand musical performance by the Italian Navy, Italian Army Band Ensembles, Italian Air Force, “Arma dei Carabinieri,” State Police, “Guardia di Finanza,” Penitentiary Police Corps and State Forest Corps”.
Note:- This Year as the world is facing Global Pandemic the events and celebrations may get canceled due to the measures taken to combat COVID-19
Swikriti Dandotia