The institutional welcome dinner of the International Conference of Ombudsmen was held on the evening of May 26, at the terrace of the Protomoteca Hall in the Campidoglio, promoted by the Civic Defender of the Region of Lazio. Marino Fardelli and from the National Coordination of Italian Civic Defenders, at the opening of the international Conference scheduled for May 28th and 29th at the Chamber of Deputies.
The evening, organised with the decisive contribution of ANCI Lazio, welcomed over 300 international delegates including Ombudsmen, Civic Defenders, institutional representatives and delegations from Europe, Africa, Asia and America, offering a moment of dialogue and welcome within the historic setting of the Campidoglio.
At the opening, the institutional greetings of the President of the Regional Council of Lazio Antonello Aurigemma, of the President of ANCI Lazio Daniele Sinibaldi and of the delegate of the Mayor of Rome Capital Elio Tomassetti, President of the XII Municipality.
The President of ANCI Lazio, Daniele Sinibaldi, focused his intervention on the fundamental value that civic defenders play every day in favor of communities, with a particular focus on their role in local territories, where the relationship between citizens and institutions is more direct and the need for protection more immediate. Sinibaldi emphasized that ANCI Lazio wanted to contribute concretely to the organization of the event precisely because of this conviction, recognizing the institution of civic defense as an essential safeguard of democracy and proximity. In his speech, he extended heartfelt thanks to President Aurigemma and Civic Defender Fardelli for the initiative and the commitment invested in building an increasingly solid and cohesive international network.
Aurigemma, in turn, highlighted the strategic importance of civic defense as a tool to bridge the gap between institutions and citizens, announcing the ongoing work to equip civic defenders with more effective tools capable of responding to the transformations of society, starting with technological innovation. «The International Conference of Civic Defenders represents a valuable opportunity to advance an exchange of ideas, experiences, and approaches, to strengthen the network and achieve a proper synergy,» declared the President of the Lazio Legislative Assembly.
On the hospitality front, the “Ugo Tognazzi” Hotel Institute in Velletri played a leading role, providing the service for the evening by bringing the excellence of professional training in the Lazio region to a prestigious international institution. The institute’s presence also represented a concrete opportunity for work and training to be combined, enhancing the skills of the young students in front of an audience of highly distinguished guests.
The products served, all of which bear the municipal designation De.Co., are part of the “Common Origin”— the ANCI Lazio project for the valorization of local specialties — embodied concretely the values of healthy, authentic food rooted in the territory, a theme to which the awareness campaign on eating disorders led by the association Donna Donna Onlus of Nadia Accetti also linked. Numerous Lazio agri-food producers were present, including Massimiliano Scarchilli, and on the table was also the pescatore’s soup from Anzio, proposed by the restaurant Il Turcotto, a dish of traditional Mediterranean cuisine that was able to tell an international audience about the deep identity of a local community.
The international conference will continue on May 28 and 29 at the Chamber of Deputies.