Every year on August 8th, Italy commemorates the sacrifice of many compatriots who emigrated in pursuit of a better future but never returned. It is the National Day of Sacrifice for Italian Workers in the World, commemorating those who died while working abroad. The date is not accidental: on August 8, 1956, 262 miners were killed in a fire at the Bois du Cazier mine in Marcinelle, Belgium. Among them were 136 Italians who had fled in the hope of making a life, but were instead swallowed by flames and smoke hundreds of meters underground. Since then, this anniversary has become an important emblem for Italian communities around the world. It is not only a time of recollection, but also of condemnation, as it recalls the frequently insecure working circumstances, exploitation, and marginalization endured by generations of migrants. On the 69th anniversary, ceremonies, exhibitions, and public efforts in Italy and Belgium are once again raising awareness of the catastrophe, translating sadness into a determination to protect workers' safety and rights wherever they may be.