pollica. On Monday 5 September, the twelfth anniversary of the brutal murder of Angelo Vassallo, from 18:30 pm his community, the mayors of Italy, the authorities, associations and ordinary citizens will pay homage to the memory and sacrifice of Angelo Vassallo.
The commemoration ceremony will begin at 18:30 pm with Holy Mass at the Maria SS dell'Annunziata church. The celebrations will then move to the adjacent Arena del Mare on the Acciaroli Tourist Port where a laurel wreath will be placed in the sea to the tune of “il Silenzio”.
The memory of extraordinary men like Angelo Vassallo – mayor of pollica, however, needs to be nourished, not only by memory, but also and above all by the commitment of each of us to support the ideas and values that inspired their human and political action.
For this reason, the Municipality of Pollica, in collaboration with Legambiente, has decided, after two years of interruption due to the pandemic, to restart the Angelo Vassallo award. This is an award that is given to mayors who promote the development of territories while respecting the environment and legality.
Who are committed to increasing among citizens a greater awareness and participation in collective life in respect of common goods and ecological awareness. The award is therefore aimed at mayors who have been able to undertake exemplary actions of safeguarding and promoting the values and themes that inspired the action of the fisherman mayor - Angelo Vassallo so that his example continues to be a source of inspiration for all those who decide to make their commitment and skills available to the community.
This year, the award is also enriched by an important moment entitled “Community in Transition – The Energy Re-Evolution” in which the mayors of the main Italian cities will talk about how the mayors at the helm of communities that are facing regeneration processes, great challenges and a profound transition, the energy one that cannot ignore other epochal revolutions such as the digital and cultural ones, can and must make the difference.
"In the wake of Angelo, a great innovator and a deep lover of the environment - explains the mayor of Pollica Stefano Pisani -, this year the award also wants to be an important moment of reflection on the role of mayors, at the helm of communities that are facing regeneration processes, great challenges and a profound transition, the energy one that cannot ignore other epochal revolutions such as the digital and cultural ones. For this reason we imagined a moment of discussion between the Mayors to discuss "Community in Transition - The Energy Re-Evolution".
We are all well aware that the energy transition, understood as the construction of a new model of social organization based on the production and consumption of energy from renewable sources, is as necessary as it is urgent. For it to be effective, cultural, material and immaterial changes must be triggered, based on a new conception of the world that is inspired by Integral Ecology and pursues balance for our Planet”.
"On September 5th we continue, as we have always done every day in these years, to cultivate the memory of an extraordinary man like Angelo Vassallo, but celebratory acts are not enough, concrete actions are necessary that we have put into practice and that have allowed us to transform his ideas, our ideas, into reality. The mayor of all has left to Politics, without distinction of party, the practical example of what must be essential principles for the well-being of the Citizens, it is time to no longer betray his sacrifice".
Stefano Ciafani, president of Legambiente, states: “in these difficult years marred by the drama of Covid-19, the economic crisis, the increases in energy prices and yet another war, this time at the entrance to Europe, there have been mayors in our country who have continued to govern their territories following the beacon of a true, fair ecological transition, respectful of legality and social cohesion. Never before has it been so important to valorize these experiences that follow the path courageously marked by Angelo Vassallo in Pollica, because only by replicating them throughout the national territory will we make Italy a greener, more innovative and inclusive country”.
Article published on 31 August 2022 - 14:01
