The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic
MESSAGE FROM THE HON. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, HON. ANTONIO TAJANI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 68TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCINELLE DISASTER
(8 August 2024)
The commemoration of the Bois du Cazier tragedy, occurred on 8 August 1956, is a key moment in the life of Italian communities around the world, being the symbol of their extraordinary contribution to the prosperity of their host countries, as well as of their efforts to achieve integration through work.
This is true for Marcinelle, and for all the other tragedies of that have marked the history of Italian emigration, such as the Monongah mine disaster in the United States, which had already cost the lives of hundreds of Italian nationals in 1907.
The vivid memory of these tragedies inspires us to pursue with ever-increasing commitment, both at national and supranational level, a common path to build a clear and unyielding regulatory and supervisory framework to end the scourge of accidents at work.
I have visited the Marcinelle site many times, always with great emotion, as Vice-President of the European Commission and as President of the European Parliament. I made sure to visit it again last year as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
On all these occasions it has always been an honour for me to bring Italy’s tribute to the memory of the victims and to express its solidarity to their families in grief.
In 2001, on this sad anniversary, the Italian Government established the ‘National Day of the Sacrifice of Italian Workers in the World’ to pay homage to the many Italians who, with dedication and courage, have held high the name of Italy abroad, often at the cost of great personal and family sacrifices.
An effort that our Italian nationals – from the oldest communities to today’s new mobility protagonists – are still undertaking everywhere in the world, where they bring Italian know-how and expertise combined with pride in their roots.
However, with its high toll of victims, including Belgian, Polish, Greek, German, French, Hungarian, British, Russian, Ukrainian and Algerian nationals, the Marcinelle disaster – which occurred a few months before the signing of the Treaties of Rome – is above all a European tragedy.
From here, from this wound still fresh in the collective memory of our continent, I intend to build consensus in the European Parliament – also thanks to the work of the Italian parliamentary delegation – in order to establish this date as a ‘European Day’ of Remembrance.
In Marcinelle, united in tragedy, 262 miners from 12 different countries lost their lives.
It is up to us, united in our efforts, to honour their memory and to work to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.
We must strive for a Europe based on work and growth, with the individual always at its heart.
Antonio Tajani
