At the Quirinale Palace ceremony for the awarding of the Order of Military Merit, President Sergio Mattarella emphasized the growing complexity of today’s international landscape, which in recent years has taken on “troubling features and dynamics.”
“We are living in difficult times,” the President said, “in which the Armed Forces are called upon to master new technologies and skills to confront threats that endanger peaceful dialogue and respect for international law.”
Mattarella highlighted the work of Italy’s 7,700 troops deployed abroad on bilateral, NATO, EU, and UN missions, as well as those serving at home in training, logistics, and support roles. “They form the backbone that keeps the Armed Forces ready and capable of meeting the nation’s expectations,” he noted.
He also reflected on the symbolic meaning of November 4, Italy’s National Unity and Armed Forces Day, describing it as “a reminder for younger generations worldwide not to resort to violence and war, which only sow pain and resentment.”
Mattarella concluded by stressing that the honors bestowed “celebrate the Armed Forces as a whole, confirming their essential role in defending the constitutional values on which our Republic stands.”