Azerbaijani Flag is waving on the Miravalle Hill in Italy
On March 31, the Maria Dolens – Bell of War Victims Foundation, located in the Italian city of Rovereto, held a ceremony to hoist the Azerbaijani Flag on the Miravalle Hill, a universal symbol of peace and dialogue in Italy.
At the ceremony, a youth choir performed songs dedicated to the theme of peace, laid a wreath in front of the Bell, and delivered speeches.
Ambassador Marco Marsilli, Regent of the War Victims Bell Foundation, welcomed Azerbaijan’s participation in this initiative and emphasized that the Azerbaijani Flag is the 107th flag to be hoisted on the Miravalle Hill, a universal symbol of peace and dialogue between nations.
Then, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Italy Rashad Aslanov said that the 20th century is remembered with deep wounds for our country and that March 31 was not chosen by chance to join this initiative. He brought to the attention of the participants of the event that in 1918 our land became the scene of great tragedies, and tens of thousands of civilians were killed by radical Armenian groups in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Garabagh, Nakhchivan due to their ethnic affiliation. R. Aslanov emphasized that the Decree “On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis” signed by President Heydar Aliyev on March 26, 1998 gave an adequate political assessment to those terrible events and declared March 31 “Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis”.
Filomena Kila, a representative of the Trento region, and Giulia Robola, the mayor of Rovereto, an architect, expressed their joy at seeing Azerbaijan in this initiative and appreciated the active activities of our country in the international arena, including the strategic cooperation it has established with Italy.
Then, Ambassador R. Aslanov presented the National Flag of Azerbaijan to the other side, and our flag was raised to the sounds of the National Anthem of our country. At the end, the “Maria Dolens” Peace Bell was rung.
For information, the Maria Dolens (War Bell) is a giant, symbolic bell located on “Colle di Miravalle” in Rovereto, Italy, dedicated to commemorating the dead of all wars and promoting peace. Cast in 1924 from the bronze of cannons left over from World War I, this bell is the largest swinging bell in the world. It is rung at sunset in memory of fallen soldiers.
