| National Unity and Armed Forces Day | |
|---|---|
.jpg) President of ItalySergio Mattarella paying homage to theItalian Unknown Soldier atAltare della Patria inRome on 4 November 2022 | |
| Official name | Italian:Giornata dell'Unità Nazionale e delle Forze Armate |
| Observed by |  Italy |
| Type | National |
| Significance | Victory of Italy in theFirst World War andcompletion of national unity |
| Date | 4 November |
| Next time | 4 November 2026 (2026-11-04) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 4 November 1919; 106 years ago (1919-11-04) |
| Related to |
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National Unity and Armed Forces Day (Italian:Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale e delle Forze Armate) is anItalian national day since 1919 which commemorates the victory inWorld War I, a war event considered the completion of the process ofunification of Italy. It is celebrated every 4 November, which is the anniversary of thearmistice of Villa Giusti becoming effective in 1918 and ending the Italian front in victory againstAustria-Hungary.[1]
Italy entered theFirst World War in 1915 with the aim of completing national unity by annexing the "irredent lands" ofTrento andTrieste: for this reason, the Italian intervention in the First World War is also considered theFourth Italian War of Independence,[2] in a historiographical perspective that identifies in the latter the conclusion of theunification of Italy, whose military actions began during therevolutions of 1848 with theFirst Italian War of Independence.[3][4]
Tha Armistice (4 November 1918) and the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 (followed by the treaties ofSaint-Germain-en-Laye andRapallo) allowed the annexation of Trento and Trieste and thus completed national unification; in addition, Italy also annexedSouth Tyrol, theJulian March,Istria,Kvarner as well as theDalmatian city ofZara; the subsequentTreaty of Rome (1924) led to the annexation of the city ofFiume to Italy.[5]
Established in 1919, 4 November is the only Italian national holiday which has gone through decades ofItalian history: from theliberal period tofascist andrepublican Italy.[6] In 1921, during the National Unity and Armed Forces Day, theItalian Unknown Soldier (Milite Ignoto) was solemnly buried at theAltare della Patria inRome.[7]
In 1922, shortly after themarch on Rome, the holiday changed its name toAnniversario della Vittoria (Victory Anniversary) to emphasize Italian military power, while after the end ofWorld War II, in 1949, the original meaning was restored, becoming the celebration of Italian armed forces and the achievement of Italian Unity.[6][8]
With thebirth of the Italian Republic in 1946, thenational anthem was changed: theMarcia Reale was replaced byIl Canto degli Italiani, which was officially played for the first time as the Italian national anthem on the occasion of the National Unity and Armed Forces Day on 4 November 1946.[9][10]
4 November was aholiday until 1976.[1] From 1977, during theausterity caused by the1973 oil crisis, it became amoveable feast according to the calendar reform of national holidays introduced by law n. 54 of 5 March 1977, and celebrations occurred every first Sunday of November.[1]
During the 1980s and 1990s, its importance declined but in the 2000s, thanks to the impulse given by former president of the republicCarlo Azeglio Ciampi, who has been a main protagonist of a general valorization ofItalian national symbols, the holiday gained more widespread celebrations.[11]
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On 4 November, and the days shortly before, thePresident of Italy and otherimportant officers of the State pay homage to theItalian Unknown Soldier (Milite Ignoto),[1] buried in theAltare della Patria inRome, visit theRedipuglia War Memorial, where the remains of 100,000 Italian soldiers who died in the First World War are buried, as well asVittorio Veneto, where there occurred thelast and decisive battle between theRoyal Italian Army and theAustro-Hungarian Army.[12]
The Italian President and Minister of Defence send to theItalian Armed Forces a message of greeting and gratitude in the name of the whole country.[1] 4 November is celebrated also in other institutional offices likeRegions, Provinces andComuni.
During the national holiday, there is the change of guards, at theQuirinal Palace, withCorazzieri and the fanfare of4th Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment in high uniform. This rite occurs only in other two occasions, during celebrations ofTricolour Day (7 January) andRepublic Day (2 June).
The Italian Army Forces usually open thebarracks to the public[13] and allow visits to the naval military units. Arms showings and exhibitions about WWI are often held inside barracks.[13] There are often sport demonstrations and exercise carried out by soldiers.[13]
In squares of the main Italian cities, concerts are held by military bands, as well as other celebrations in front of the Monument to the fallen situated in each Commune.[14]
During theprotests of 1968, Armed Forces Day became an object of protest and dissent by different political groups.
Especially in the second half of the 1960s and the first of the 1970s, on 4 November theradical movement,far-left groups and "dissidentCatholics" began protests to ask for recognition of a right toconscientious objection. They also criticised the overall military institutions.[15]
Sometimes protests were carried on by the distribution of leaflets and posting of posters against armed forces. Protesters were often pursued for offences to the Army's honour and prestige and for inciting soldiers to insubordination.[15]
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