A
commemorative plaque dedicated to Gino Bartali, as 'Righteous among the Nations',
was unveiled today
in the area in front of the entrance to the Coni Hall of Honor at Palazzo H
, a tribute in memory of Jewish sportsmen (including the former President of Coni Aldo Finzi) persecuted by the racial laws.
The ceremony,
opened by the President of Coni, Giovanni Malagò,
in the presence of the Secretary General, Carlo Mornati, was attended by the chief rabbi of the Roman Jewish Community, Riccardo Di Segni, the president, Ruth Dureghello, the vice president, Ruben Della Rocca, the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Noemi Di Segni, together with Gioia Bartali, grandson of the unforgettable Gino, his sons Leonardo and Matteo, the president of Federciclismo, Renato Di Rocco, and the vice president of FCI and member of the National Council del Coni, Daniela Isetti.
On the plaque, the stylized image of Bartali is accompanied by an eloquent message:
"Not to forget the persecuted Jewish sportsmen and those who risked their existence to save innocent lives".
Malagó underlined the importance of the initiative: "It is a moment we care a lot about, Gino Bartali was not only an exceptional athlete but a great man who deserved the title of Righteous among the Nations. We of Coni, with delay, with this plaque that has a precise address, we want to address - through his figure - a dutiful reminder to the memory of the Jewish sportsmen deported and persecuted by the racial laws. In this context, he must remember for eternity what Gino did and what happened in those years".