President Sergio Mattarella on Monday
visited Palermo's De Amicis-Da Vinci school after learning two
of its pupils, originally from Ghana and Mauritius, had been the
victims of racial abuse.
The pair were subjected to racist insults in front of a bookshop
in Palermo a few days ago while taking part in an initiative
with their classmates to raise money to buy books.
On Monday the head of State also issued a message for Italy's
first 'National Day of Respect', which takes place on birthday
of a 21-year-old Cape Verdian-Italian man beaten to death by a
gang of bullies near Rome in 2020, Willy Monteiro Duarte.
Established by Parliament last year, the day is intended to help
raise public awareness of the need to prevent and combat
bullying and cyberbullying.
"Respect is a universal value in every dimension," Mattarella
said.
"Respect for oneself, respect for others, respect for the
planet: they are the first steps towards a liveable society,
which takes on the criteria of solidarity, social cohesion,
mutual acceptance, sustainability".
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