“A historic friendship.”
The journey of the Italian Head of State Sergio Mattarella in Israel and Palestine. His first trip to the Middle East since his election.
“Freedom is indivisible: you cannot fully enjoy it unless everyone else is.”
This is the admonishment that the Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed during the Lectio Magistralis held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in occasion of the inauguration of the academic year. This is the underlying theme of his trip to Israel and Palestine, which took place from October 30 to November 2.
From the day of his election on January 31, 2015, this is President Mattarella’s first official visit to the Middle East as head of state. He chose the Holy Land as his initial destination, in the name of the historic friendship that binds Italy to Israel and Palestine.
“Jerusalem is a city loved and watched by the entire world,” said the President at the meeting with the Italian Jewish community which took place in the synagogue of Conegliano and in the adjoining museum. Citing Psalm 122, Mattarella reiterated that Jerusalem “is built as a city that is closely compacted together,” and that everyone’s commitment is needed to remain a symbol of gathering and cohesion.