3° MEMORIAL DAY - 8th OCTOBER 2004
SPEECH BY THE MAYOR OF MILAN
Mr. GABRIELE ALBERTINI
The day after the most serious disaster to ever happen in an Italian airport, a disaster that all revealed to us the unexpected fragility of a system that was truly the symbol of Milanese identity.
< And, even more, before a dreadful reality like the death of 118 innocent persons and like the despair of their loved ones;.
In front of all this, we remained dumbstruck, incapable of reaction; and the rest, just the silence, the absence of words, could express our solidarity, our affection, and also our desire to protect each other, to be useful to each other
The entire city was deeply disturbed, in a state of paralysing sadness.
It seems incredible, but you shook us, you relatives of the victims, those that in the tragedy had lost everything, because there is not desire to struggle nor to hope for when our loved ones are torn from us in such a cruel and absurd manner, which had happened to you.
And yet, since then, you have demonstrated much strength.
You have founded, dear Pettinaroli, an association that is well-known in Italy and in Europe.
You have built a network of solidarity that reaches to all the families of the victims, that offers comfort, that stands in front of the concrete needs.
You have promoted a myriad of initiatives so that the tragedy that hit you will not be forgotten.
And you have involved in this effort the public and private groups that wish to collaborate.
And this was also an act of generosity: do not close yourself in your pain.
It would have been incomprehensible if the Association had lifted a barrier against the agencies and institutions, accepting only the participation and solidarity of normal citizens.
But you, rather than to divide, have united. The Forest of Beech Trees in Milan that we inaugurated together while holding hands is a demonstration of your message of unity and brotherhood.
You have interpreted in splendid manner the words - authentic and full of significance - that Cardinal Martini told you in that terrible moment. Do you remember? He said: “It is necessary to find the courage to walk in tragedy without losing hope”.
I will never forget those words, because they also served me in darker times, when it seemed to me an impossible task to carry to you the grief and affection of our city.
But you comforted each other, you showed each other the road, that is not just from memory, but of the actual duty of the memory.
Yesterday we participated in an important conference on safety in air transport.
What your Committee does and will do is causing things to change, so that no one else will have to know your suffering, so that people can feel more safe and secure when they fly.
Your task to reconstruct the facts and place responsibility goes beyond the tragedy that struck your lives to look after the lives of others, to increase the safety of those who fly and increase the peace of mind of those who await at home.
We are aware of it. And we thank you for the lesson of civility you have given to us: to translate the actual pain in a gift for others, for those who come after us, for our children, for the children of those who died that day, October 8, three years ago.
The road that we inaugurate today will always remind us of your loved ones: it will remind us of their sacrifice, but also remind us of the life that they knew how to live, a life in which they gave joy and love to you all, a wonderful life.
“Via October 8, 2001. To never forget Linate”: for Milan this will be the road of a sad memory, but also, the road of rebirth and of hope, the road towards a better future for all.
I thank you, the Committee, and in the name of Milan I say goodbye to the loved ones and friends of the victims, including those who are not present today in this ceremony, but at home, in Italy or in many places in Europe, trusting in our desire to remember.
MESSAGE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SKANDINAVIAN ASSOCIATION
Mrs. ANETTE FORSMAN
THREE YEARS!
How can three years pass so quickly, but still feel so slow?
A lot of things can happen in three years, but we will always have to live with the disaster at Linate.
The loss that we are living with erases time. The loss of our loved ones that so suddenly were taken from us.
My husband once said when we spoke about death ” It is really only sad for those that are left behind”. Yes, it is sad for us who are left behind.
We are the ones that are forced to find ways of handling the eternal loss that we have to live with every day, but it warms my heart to hear about all the work that you in the 8 Ottobre Committee are doing for us all.
It feels so good to know that there are streets and other places that are honouring the memory of our loved ones, so that they in some way still are with us.
Our duty is to keep on fighting for increased aviation safety all over the world, so that no more people will have to be in the situation we are in today!
Even though many of us are not with you today, I hope that you know that we always are together in our thoughts on the 8th of October.
A warm embrace to you all,
Anette Forsman
The Scandinavian Association for SK686, 8th of October 2001.
SPEECH BY THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SAS
Mr. OLE NASLUND
I am Ole Naslund,,Senior Vice President of SAS.
I´d like to thank the city of Milan and especially Mayor Albertini for their ongoing support provided to the Italian and foreign families of the victims over the past three years.
I also wish to express my profound admiration for the Committee "8 ottobre per non dimenticare" because through their efforts, the memory of their loved ones is always present.
On behalf of Scandinavian Airlines, I am very proud to be here today.
Thank you
SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE "8 October"
Mr. PAOLO PETTINAROLI
I wish in the name of all present dedicate a thought for our Pasquale Padovano who today could not be here with us. Yesterday he was struck with illness and is now recovering in the hospital. We wish you well Pasquale
. The beautiful religious ceremony this morning was brightened by the children’s choir of the San Carlo School in Milan. They were wonderful and brought us to tears.
In the name of all the members of the October 8th Committee to Never Forget, I desire to thank the religious, civil, and military authorities, who today courteously wanted to be present.
This year it was not our intention to organize an official ma, above all not to inconvenience those whose schedules are full of commitments.
The gracious decision of the Commune of Milan to dedicate a road to remember the tragedy, caused our program of events to be changed.
And still for the third time we are together to remember that foreboding October 8 of three years ago, to remember the terrible disaster that affected not only our famillies, but the city of Milan and the nation of Italy.
Today, the City of Milan carried out our desire to have a road to remember the disaster of Linate.
I remember with moving nostalgia the deceased President of the Council of the Commune of Milan, Giovanni Marra. A sensitive man with a large heart, and on the occasion of the inauguration of the Square of Fiumicino caused me to ask him to promote a similar initiative in Milan as well. He promised me that he would inform the mayor that very evening, and the following morning, he telephoned me to confirm that our desire had been immediately accepted with pleasure.
This is a further tangible mark of the will of Milan of to not forget. We, the Committee, and with the newly founded Foundation, will continue to make the competent authorities to pledge themselves to flight safety.
Mr. Ferruccio Bortoli says that “one of our tasks is to continue as long as possible to keep the memory alive and to avoid the settling of dust of time with something so serious, that is part of the history of our Country”.
Yesterday’s meeting, organized by our 8 October Foundation, was a success.
Almost all of the authorities and business leaders working with flight safety were present yesterday, and with regret I emphasize almost all, since unfortunately the representatives of the Government and of the Italian Parliament were notable absent. There were high level meetings yesterday with important speakers. This is certainly an event we promise to repeat in the future.
It is alarming to heaqr about the risks of collision occurring in the Italian airports, this year they were numerous and very serious.
During the meeting yesterday, we urged promises of greater engagement and immediate solutions to the present problems. For the next meeting, it will be seen if the promises were kept.
We realize that safety cannot be guaranteed, but it always should be given the highest consideration. Missing is the culture of safety that reuqests financing, certain responsibility, monitoring, caution and constant vigilance.
Many of us, in the Committee and Foundation, regarding our objectives, are uncomfortable. From many sopurces we receive signals, of intolerance in our comparisons. A shame!
But if all is how it should be, why obstruct our curiosity?
We want to continue to work for the safety of all who travel in airplane.
More so is the reality of the aviation sector, the more I realize the serious current deficiencies, and the dangerous situations.
The problems with the radar at Linate these last two days indicate a clear lack of caution and inattention to safety.
We will not be obstructed, and we will do what is possible one to show the evidence of these shortcomings.
This is what we promise to do for the Foundation and for the Committee and this is what will continue to do for the memory of our loved ones who accompany us everyday.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, we will place the roses that were given to us in the appropriate containers by the markers. The roses and floral decorations in the church and in the Beech Tree Forest were provided by SAS whom we thank for their constant attention and dedication.
A thank you to SEA for their kind assistance.
And finally thank you to dear Mayor Albertini, thanks to the City Administration, and thanks to Milan.
This Road will be a further help to never forget the harrowing event of October 8, 2001.
Thank you.