Italian-Montrealers commemorated Italian Liberation Day on Friday at the National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire.
Eighty-one years ago on May 2, 1945, World War II came to an end in Italy with the complete surrender of Germany to Allied forces, marking the defeat of Nazism and Fascism. A few days later, on May 8, the war fully ended across Europe.
No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation organized Friday’s event to honour the 28 Canadian Italians laid to rest at the National Field of Honour.
Rocco Speranza, Quebec coordinator for the foundation said, the event is another opportunity for communities to honour veterans.
“Remembrance (Day) usually falls on Nov. 11 for the general public and public to come but specifically throughout the years like today we’re celebrating a mark in the liberation of Italy,” Speranza said.
“April 14, we had the remembrance for the Holocaust. So we’re training different communities to come out here to the National Field of Honour and (pay) homage to the people from their communities because that’s here to rest.”
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Quebec Indepenent Senator Tony Loffreda says commemorations are important for the Italian-Canadian community and beyond.
“Freedom for Italy, freedom for all of us. And we here in Canada, the Italo-Canadians are extremely proud, extremely proud to have Italian roots, Italian heritage and Italian values.”
“I am very proud to represent the Italian-Canadian community, and I thank and commemorate all those soldiers that continue to serve and continue to make us proud both in Italy and in Canada.”
Retired Canadian Armed Forces Sgt. Lech Kwasiborski said events like the Italian Liberation Day bring awareness to contributions of different communities to Canada.
“We try to portray to the community in Montreal, the different ethnic communities and what they’ve contributed to Canada,” Kwasiborski said. “As our allies during the First World War, the Italians were there and they were our allies in combat.”
“If we do not remember the errors of the past, how can we ever proceed to the future,” he added.
