The city council of Cortona (Arezzo) said no to the proposal to name a school building under construction in memory of David Sassoli, as requested with a motion by the minority council group of the Democratic Party. A rejection that led the brother of the president of the European Parliament who died on 11 January last, Mario Gori Sassoli, to write an open letter to the mayor Luciano Meoni, to ask why, recalling the strong bond that his family has with Cortona where he himself has lived for almost 40 years and what David himself had with the town of Aretino. This is what the Nation reports today.
«The manifestations of sincere condolences and profound esteem for my brother’s uncommon and passionate figure of ‘peace promoter’ were spontaneous and unanimous, in Italy and abroad – writes Mario Gori Sassoli in the open letter -. There are countless proposals, many already completed, to dedicate cultural centers, schools, libraries, conference rooms and council halls to him ».
«Sassoli, first as a journalist and then as a man of the institutions, was able to interpret the best values of our democracy. Unfortunately, however, this initiative was carried out by some local representatives without the slightest coordination. The new school in Camucia will keep the name of Umberto Morra, an important figure that the municipal administration does not want to cancel ”, the mayor’s reply reported by the Nation.
«After the death of David Sassoli, voices of every orientation were expressed in his memory. There are many initiatives to commemorate him, uniting our country in a complex and tiring period. David’s struggle for democracy, freedom and the rule of law has been and must continue to be a source of inspiration for us all. This is why the decision of the Cortona City Council to deny the naming of a school in Camucia in memory of him is striking. It is a great missed opportunity, inexplicable and painful. I join the appeal of Mario Gori Sassoli and the commitment of the Democratic Party, for an issue that certainly goes beyond politics ». Thus the secretary of the Pd Enrico Letta in a note.