Mattarella: ‘The EU is the arena in which to take action; we must strengthen the social model’

‘Europe is the framework, the space in which to reflect and act. Awareness of this reality is essential to strengthening that European social model which no one intends to abandon, and in support of which the institutions must take consistent action. I hope you will tackle the challenges that lie ahead with all the great energy and high confidence of which you are capable.” These were the words of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, at the 80th anniversary of CIDA, the Italian Confederation of Executives and Senior Professionals.

‘Your being part of the fabric of the Republic has meant, for leaders, that they have also had to pay a heavy price. This happened during the era of terrorism, when the Red Brigades targeted certain leaders in an attempt to dismantle the foundations of our way of life.’ “Italia would soon defeat terrorism thanks to its civic values and its unity. That fundamental unity must not be allowed to dissipate, even when acrimony and substantive disagreements take centre stage.”

‘This year we are celebrating, together, the Republic’s eightieth anniversary. This coincides with the eightieth anniversary of the founding of your Confederation, an association of leading professionals, and this coincidence is of great significance. You were born out of the ruins of war, in the pursuit of a better Italia. The progress of our community over these decades has been closely intertwined with the role played by those who have held leadership positions, key figures in the development of a modern state, united across all sections of society.”

‘People capable of freeing the country from false propaganda myths in order to manage complex processes, such as those involved in Italia’s entry onto the international stage and into global markets,’ he remarked. We were, in fact, facing an epoch-making change to which the Republic, through its pro-European choice, would make a decisive contribution. The title you have chosen for this assembly attests to the desire to move forward, going beyond the specific professional fields themselves, to contribute, through the values and skills that are your own, to tackling the challenges of the new epochal shift currently underway. In this endeavour, it is essential to reaffirm the autonomy inherent in the role of a manager, alongside the social role developed to promote objectives of progress for the entire community, in accordance with the ethics that guide each of you in the exercise of your profession and, as regards civil servants, the duty to carry out their duties exclusively in the service of the nation. The contribution made by leaders at various levels to the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) – so as not to lose sight of its significance and importance for our country’s recovery following the pandemic – deserves to be recognised. Whilst, in past decades, your first president, Togni – a member of the Constituent Assembly, later a Member of Parliament and a minister – legislative initiatives in the fields of economic freedom and consumer protection, such as those to introduce antitrust regulations into an Italian economic system where monopolies were rife, mention must also be made of your struggle in recent years for tax fairness, as highlighted by President Cuzzilla.”