Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Rome, June 26th - Italian activist Lanfranco Lancione was honored in this capital with the Medal of Friendship from the Cuban Council of State for his initiatives, begun two decades ago, that he continues today in support of the people of that nation.
During a ceremony held the day before in the Aula Magna of Roma Tre University, Cuban Ambassador to Italy Mirta Granda, while presenting Lancione with such a high recognition, emphasized that "it is difficult to summarize in a few words the effort and dedication of such a dear friend of her country."
The event was attended by the Hero of the Republic of Cuba, Gerardo Hernández, as well as officials from the diplomatic corps, members of Cuban friendship associations, members of political parties and progressive forces, and representatives of the Cuban community residing in this nation.
Granda highlighted Lancioni's long career, his activism in progressive forces, and his several responsibilities in the Municipal Council of the city of Teramo, in the central Abruzzo region where in 2004, he founded the SocialCuba Association to develop solidarity aid programs for that Caribbean nation.
That year, he initiated several projects aimed at confronting the criminal commercial, economic, and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States with practical actions.
Among these initiatives are, among many others, Semillitas del Futuro (Little Seeds of the Future), through which donations were sent to homes for children without parental care in the Cuban province of Pinar del Río.
Also, the so called Together We Can, to which he actively contributed by coordinating the shipment of medical supplies to fight against COVID-19, as part of the joint effort of the entire solidarity movement with Cuba in Italy.
In that complex context of the pandemic, aid actions of this type did not stop, and "our peoples reached out to each other in gestures of brotherhood," emphasized the Cuban diplomat.
Since 2011, Lancioni has been promoting the Solidarity Transport program between Cuba and the Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL, for its acronym in Spanish), as part of which four buses have already been sent to the Antillean nation for the culture and education sectors.
With his solidarity work, Lancioni demonstrates that "a sentiment as pure and altruistic as brotherhood cannot be blocked," Granda emphasized.
The ambassador concluded her speech with a quote from her country's National Hero, José Martí, "who managed to synthesize the principle that has guided the actions of our brothers of solidarity, which we recognize today in Lancioni: The one who rises today for Cuba, rises for all times." (Text and photo: PL)
