Today is an emotional day for many of us.
Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Italian Republic.
Exactly sixty years ago the Italian women and men through a popular referendum decided that Italy would become a Republic.
This is the most important event in the Italian contemporary history.
After years of war, devastations and suffering of every kind, the Italian People became again master of its own fate, by democratically and freely choosing its form of Government.
World war II gave Italy a troubled legacy. The Referendum and the new Constitution allowed the moral and material rebirth of our country, great institutional and social transformation and the possibility to ensure peace and democracy for our people.
It was a choice not to be forgotten. Today we celebrate that choice of freedom over tyranny and oppression.
Now we are free to choose and change.
Today we celebrate the sacrifice of those who have died for that freedom as well as the hope that all our brothers and sisters around the world can one day choose and change.
Today we also celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Afghanistan and Italy, in June 1921.
This old, long-lasting relationship is a bridge which has become stronger and stronger over the years and encourages us to enhance our friendship in a spirit of real democracy, peace, trust, solidarity and, above all, mutual respect.
A lot has already been achieved. The credit for this must go, first and foremost, to the Afghan people. We admire your outstanding efforts in rebuilding your society. We admire your Courage.
There is more to do and we are determined to play our full part in this. Sustainable, long-lasting development can only come true when people work together to change their own reality. We are here to work together, with deep respect for your sovereignty and with profound gratitude for your hospitality.
Let me also stress, as a President in Office of the EU in Kabul, on behalf of Austria, our common and strong resolve to work together to ensure the long-term future of Afghanistan as a stable and secure state; to move together away from the bitter memory of a recent past; to contribute to build a prosperous and democratic society in this war-torn country.
Allow me now to say a few word to my Italian friends.
Cari italiani che, per spirito umanitario, per incarico pubblico, o per vocazione spirituale, siete presenti in Afghanistan.
Ringrazio tutti Voi e tutte le componenti del “Sistema Italia” della collaborazione che mi avete prestato in questi miei primi diciotto mesi di servizio a Kabul, e Vi invito, anche per il futuro, a “fare squadra”, a sentirsi parte di un tutto, per continuare ad essere protagonisti attivi del fruttuoso dialogo instaurato con l’amico Popolo afgano.
A voi tutti, assieme a sentimenti di gratitudine per quanto state facendo per diffondere la tradizionale, migliore immagine del nostro Paese, rivolgo il mio più fervido augurio di buon lavoro e di pieno successo. Dal vostro generoso altruismo traiamo esempio e ottimismo per impegnarci ancor più nella nostra azione quotidiana.
[Dear fellow Italians who are here in Afghanistan carrying out a humanitarian work, holding a public office, or pursuing a spiritual vocation, I would like to thank all of you and all the components of the “Italian system” for the cooperation you assured me during my first eighteen months here in Kabul and I urge you to keep working as a team also in the future and to feel part of a whole, so as to continue to concur actively to the fruitful dialogue we have established with our Afghan friends. To all of you I convey, together with my deep sense of gratitude for what you are doing in order to spread the traditional, best image of our country, my most sincere wishes of good work and thorough success. From your generous altruism we draw an example and optimism to strengthen our daily commitment.]
Now please allow me to wish the Prosperity of Afghanistan and Italy, the friendship between the Italian and the Afghan Peoples and the health of everyone.