Overview
- President Sergio Mattarella laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Rome, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and parliamentary leaders in attendance, before presiding over a ceremony in Ancona.
- Mattarella urged young people to commit to defending constitutional values, while Meloni posted a message honoring the service and sacrifice of Italy’s armed forces.
- The Education Ministry instructed schools to mark the day with formal events, including Armed Forces flag handovers, and canceled a teacher‑training event on school militarization organized by Cestes and the Observatory.
- Critics, including Movimento Nonviolento and left‑leaning outlets, framed the initiatives as part of a broader push to normalize pro‑war narratives in schools and media, pointing to an EU Parliament report urging youth programs on security and defense.
- The planned Frecce Tricolori flyover was called off following the Torre dei Conti collapse on 3 November that killed a Romanian worker.