Day of National Unification, Constitution, Anthem and Flag

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President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, this morning took part in the solemn ceremony on the occasion of the “Day of National Unification, Constitution, Anthem and Flag” which took place at the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland).

On the occasion of this year’s anniversary, President Mattarella, in the presence of Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

The ceremony was attended by President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni, Speaker of the Senate Ignazio La Russa, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Constitutional Court Augusto Barbera, Chief of Defence Staff Giuseppe Dragone as well as civilian, military and religious authorities.

The 163rd Anniversary of the proclamation of Italy’s Unification, Constitution, Anthem and Flag finds dates back in 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy became the first King of Italy, uniting the country under a single flag.

The history of Italy’s unification is rich in events and sacrifice. The Risorgimento, the movement that fostered the unification of the country, was a time of battles and hope, success and defeat. On 17 March 1861, however, with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, the dream of a unified, independent country finally came true.

Over the years, Italy went through various historical phases, from the monarchy to the Parliamentary Republic, until the 1948 Constitution, which established freedom, democracy and equality as the founding principles of our Republic. The Constitution, Mameli Anthem and Tricoloured Flag are indelible symbols of our national identity and of our Democratic Republic, which unite us as a people and remind us of the values that are the foundations of our society.