President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni’s message to the first edition of the ‘Giuseppe Salvia’ National Award, organised by the National Penitentiary Police Association and held in Naples.
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Dear President Capece,
I am deeply sorry that I am unable to be in Naples and am unable to attend the first edition of the ‘Giuseppe Salvia’ National Award. I wish to extend my warmest thanks to you and to the National Penitentiary Police Association for promoting and organising this important initiative. My greetings also go to the Government representatives and representatives of civil, military and religious authorities present. I also wish to personally congratulate all those who will receive this award today. I address a special thought to Ms Troianiello and to Antonio and Claudio Salvia, who have picked up the baton from their father, Giuseppe, and, like him, are serving our institutions.
Giuseppe Salvia was a great Italian. He served the State with honour and did not bow down to the arrogance of the Camorra and of a criminal who, at that precise moment in time, thought he was untouchable and above the law. Giuseppe showed that was not the case and confronted organised crime head-on. He did his duty to the full and, on 14 April 42 years ago, he paid for that choice with his life.
Salvia’s sacrifice was not in vain. Lev Tolstoj wrote: “Just as one candle lights another and can light thousands of other candles, so one heart illuminates another and can illuminate thousands of other hearts”. Giuseppe Salvia was and is such a light and what he did in his life illuminated, and continues to illuminate, the commitment of so many, because goodness is contagious: it spreads and changes whatever it touches.
Italy owes a lot to people like Giuseppe – men and women who love the institutions and who roll up their sleeves every day for their community, never sparing themselves and even risking their own lives. This is the most beautiful Italy, it is the best Italy, it is the Italy we are proud of. Giuseppe never stopped doing his duty, and this is probably the greatest lesson he has left us all: to be an example and make our work a mission to serve others, always putting the pursuit of the common good first.
A challenge we must have the courage to take on every day.
[Courtesy translation]