The Veterans Association organized a day of solidarity with Lebanon, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Italy's participation in the peacekeeping forces operating in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, between 1982 and 1984.

In this context, a military parade was organized in the tourist port of Nettuno, ranked as one of the most important tourist ports in Italy, for various Italian military teams.

Lebanon's Ambassador to Rome, Mira Daher, participated in the event, where she was received with great hospitality and welcome at the municipality building, and met its Mayor Alexandro Coppola, in the presence of the President of the Veterans Association Mario Rosati and representatives of the highest level in command of the Navy, the Air Force and the city's active figures.

Mayor of Nettuno, which is located not more than 70 km from Rome, assured Ambassador Daher that the city and its residents "stand by the country of the Cedars," saying: "We are proud of what the Italian battalion did forty years ago in Lebanon, providing support to the residents."

General Bruno Tozzetti, who was the commander of the first division that participated in the peacekeeping forces in Lebanon in 1982, explained in a briefing the difficult conditions that Lebanon was going through at that time, adding that it was "Italy's first mission after World War II outside its borders, whereby it found itself in front of a people who were in dire need of help."

Rosati, in turn, spoke about the Italian experience in Lebanon, "which the Italian people do not want to forget, but rather want to generalize as a human relationship between two peoples."

Deputy Chief of Defense, Giorgio Moli, gave a word via video conferencing, in which he said: "Italy is proud of the role played by its soldiers, and it continues through the Italian peacekeeping battalion with the support of the Lebanese."

He recalled Italy's immediate assistance to Lebanon less than 24 hours before the Beirut port explosion, noting that "Italy's presence within the United Nations forces operating in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) reinforces this Italian orientation toward Lebanon."

For her part, Ambassador Daher thanked ITALCON for this kind gesture, and for "highlighting once again the importance of the call for peace, which is the main and only message of the embodiment of humanity for all of us."

Daher stressed the need today, more than ever before, for such soldiers who embody humanity and giving, and sacrifice their lives for peace to prevail around the world, noting that "this is the mission of ITALCON...basically peacekeeping forces."

"Hence, we say that every believer, regardless to which religion he belongs, knows perfectly well that one was born to live and enjoy life, and that the unified message that unites all the peoples of the world in all parts of the globe is: Let us all live in peace so that our children and future generations may enjoy stability," Daher underscored.

She continued to assert that "Lebanon will not forget Italy's standing by its side," and that "it has always been a symbol of peace for us, a symbol of brotherhood and affinity, a symbol of freedom and justice, a symbol of sacrifice and courage."

"The relationship between Lebanon and Italy traces its roots back to the distant past, to the Phoenician civilization, to the history of the publication of the letter and the color purple, to the first piano, and the first Rome legislator who came from the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, to the Mediterranean, which unites our two countries with the characteristics of openness, communication and love for life that is enjoyed by both peoples," Daher emphasized.

"I thank you for the devotion that I felt within you for my country, Lebanon, and from here, I would like to hope that peace prevails throughout the world, and humanity triumphs over wars," Daher concluded.