Fabio Mottinelli
Fabio Mottinelli is the mayor of Ceva, a municipality in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont.
The speech of 4 November 2026
On 4 November 2026, on the occasion of National Unity and Armed Forces Day, Mottinelli spoke at Ceva's institutional ceremony, held at the war memorial after a wreath was laid at the town cemetery in memory of Ceva's fallen of the First World War. The event was attended by civil and military authorities, the Alpini of Ceva, carabinieri cadets, students of the Cebano-Monregalese vocational training centre (CFP) and a delegation from the "Momigliano" comprehensive school [1][2].
In his speech, Mottinelli recalled the significance of war memorials as a point of reference even when no direct relatives remain to keep their memory alive, and dedicated a thought to the four Italian soldiers killed in Bosnia and to all those who died in peacekeeping missions [1][2]. He also stressed the symbolic value of the word "uniform" (uniforme), which he preferred to "garb" (divisa) for its evocation of unity, and the role of the armed forces in the service of institutions and the community [1][2].
Part of the speech was devoted to younger generations, contrasting the different paths that young people of the same age can take: from violence and destruction to service to the State, as embodied by the carabinieri cadets present, to commitment to one's own future and that of the community, represented by the members of Ceva's youth council [1][2]. The ceremony ended with a stop at the primary school, where pupils and teachers welcomed the group with songs, and with the traditional tour of the municipality's hamlets to extend the tribute to the fallen across the whole territory [1][2].
Mottinelli described the day, despite the rain, as a moment that renewed the value of memory, national unity and peace, entrusting younger generations with the task of safeguarding these principles and turning them into everyday commitment [1][2].