“Heroes” because, in their own small way, they did something important in this period of emergency. The civic merit of the Municipality of Ancona will go to these everyday heroes. A recognition that every year is awaited by many. An appointment this year addressed to “our entire urban community, a sort of Civilian Medal of Valor, starting from those who have been on the front line” in the coronavirus emergency. It is significant what will happen today, May 4, the day on which the city in the Marche celebrates its patron saint. Organized in every detail, but different from previous years, the day is enriched with meaning. And it will be an example for all of Italy. Among other things, it’s a particular day: the one that coincides with the start of Phase 2.
Heroes of the whole community
The Municipality of Ancona organizes the Civic Merit award ceremony every year on May 4 to those citizens who have distinguished themselves in different sectors. The merits are called “Ciriachini” named after the patron saint of the city San Ciriaco, which is celebrated on this day. Mayor Valeria Mancinelli stressed that this feast coincides with an “extraordinary moment that our community has been and is still experiencing”. Hence the decision to award “all the normal heroes, all our fellow citizens, all the children of this city who have done their duty in these weeks in a situation of exceptional drama with commitment, sacrifice and often at their own risk“.
“Civic merits” to the whole city
And so that the example of the city of Ancona has an added value. It is symbolic and to be taken as an example for other municipalities. All normal heroes will be awarded, fellow citizens, children of this city “who in recent weeks have done their duty in a situation of exceptional drama with commitment, sacrifice and often at their own risk”. The thought goes to doctors and nurses, health workers, family doctors, ambulance volunteers, pharmacies, police forces, public service operators who have in any case guaranteed essential services to citizens. But also to bakers, butchers, managers of public businesses, shops, cashiers of supermarkets, taxi drivers “to those who for individual responsibility have done their duty and also to the vast majority of our fellow citizens who have respected the rules”.
A special party for normal heroes, but behind “closed doors”
And the administration is organizing this event in detail. This year, in fact, it will not take place as usual with the party in the city, the fair and other initiatives that bring together thousands of people. It will take place behind closed doors, live from the Teatro delle Muse. To ensure that the whole population can be involved there will be external links through the media and the web. “This year – explained the mayor Mancinelli – there will be no fair, nor the tens of thousands of people who attend it, there will be no bingo in Piazza Cavour, in short, there will be no initiatives that have taken place for so many years on the occasion of the feast of San Ciriaco, which in any case we will live intensely, even if physically distant, but together and united “.
A call for participation
To allow the whole community to participate, therefore, the mayor made an appeal in recent days. “I ask you to be present that day – he reiterated -, even virtually, by sending a message, a video shot from your home which will follow your thoughts, what you hear and tell all of us and the world that we will make it. The messages will be projected from the stage of the Teatro delle Muse on May 4th and even though it cannot be physically present, you will be there”. The videos for the event should be sent to the following addresses [email protected] or whatsapp to: +39 366 769 5184.