the ANPI section “Ruggero Condò” has responded to Eduardo Lamberti Castronuovo with an open letter concerning statements made by Dr. Lamberti regarding Fascism.

In the letter, the ANPI addresses “Dear Doctor Lamberti Castronuovo,” expressing their concern over his public declarations. The association highlights Lamberti’s remarks suggesting that one “could not say what [Fascism] really was, as ‘there was not’ at that time.”

The ANPI emphasizes the meaning of Lamberti’s role in the city’s cultural and media landscape, stating, “We believe that statements of this type, especially if pronounced by a public figure with such a significant role in the cultural and media scene of the city, deserve a more in -depth reflection.”

Recognizing the reach of Lamberti’s broadcaster in Reggio Calabria, the ANPI underscores the duty that comes with influencing public opinion and contributing to civil discourse. They assert that “Past memory, especially when it concerns founding events of our democracy, such as fascism and resistance, cannot be treated with detachment or relativism.”

To foster a deeper understanding, the ANPI extends an invitation: “Precisely because of this very reason, we address an open, civil and constructive invitation: come and visit our ‘Ruggero Condò’ section.”

The letter conveys a willingness to engage in respectful dialogue, aiming “to deepen together what really was fascism: not an abstract concept, but a concrete political system that has denied freedom, repressed the dissent, persecuted minorities, abolished parliament, reduced the country to silence, brought Italy to war and signed infamous racial laws.”

The ANPI suggests a potential meeting with Aldo Chiantella Fieramosca, a partisan from Reggio, who “lived that period and has a lot to tell.”

The association clarifies it’s mission,stating,”We of the Anpi does not limit ourselves to ‘remembering’ the past: we work every day to transmit to the new generations the values of the Constitution,born from the Resistance,and to supervise against the return – in new forms – of authoritarianisms,racisms and political violence.”

the ANPI section’s namesake, Ruggero Condò, is remembered as “a partisan Reggino who died at the age of twenty, shot by the Nazi -fascists.Its history, like that of many others, is not rhetoric: it is indeed the foundation of our Republic.”

The letter concludes with a call to action: “We hope that it will want to grasp our invitation: to start an authentic confrontation, look at history in the face and take – as we believed in those who have a public voice – a role of awareness and responsibility.”

The ANPI affirms its availability for discussion,emphasizing that “shared knowlege is the first step to build a democratic dialogue,based on facts,memory and truth.”

“Historical memory, especially when it concerns founding events of our democracy, such as fascism and resistance, cannot be treated with detachment or relativism.”

Understanding Fascism and its Historical Context