Our twelth anniversary or the tragedy of Linate is gone.

Address by the Mayor Giuliano Pisapia for the evening at La Scala

On 8 October 2001, Milan found itself face to face with the unmentionable. The grief and the anger immediately overwhelmed the whole city. Cardinal Martini spoke clearly of the absurdity of death without reason, yet Milan was able to create meaning, and commitment around that pain without forgetting.
The 8 Ottobre 2001 Foundation was exemplary in its search for positivity, in working with the institutions to make Linate airport safe and to create a new model of air safety for all. Each one of the relatives and friends of the one hundred and eighteen victims has understood that this was the best way to make sense of their endless pain. Thanks to them, thanks to the work of all the airport management, today Linate is one of the safest airports in the world. An asset for the city as it prepares itself for the challenges of the Universal Exhibition. We wish Expo 2015 also to become a chance for our city to win back foreign visitors, whose safety expectations were betrayed in such an unacceptable way.
The Municipality of Milan is continuing in its efforts to make sure the Milanese airports safety model stays at the top of international standards.
This evening, as the music of la Scala invites us to reflect and remember, we renew together a commitment that must be kept alive, a commitment that springs from love of life and our desire to reassert, in our pain, a shared hope.
Giuliano Pisapia
Mayor of Milan

Speech by the chairman of the 8th October Committee and Foundation Paolo Pettinaroli

I'm always thrilled to speak here at the La Scala Opera House in Milan.
have to confess that when I enter the theater, my nerves usually get the best of me, but when I walked onstage tonight with Mayor Pisapia and saw everyone here to commemorate our loved ones, my nervousness vanished and now I'm extremely proud.We feel that Fondazione 8 Ottobre is strongly supported and accepted, and I can assure you that this is very gratifying in our work.
Over the past 12 years, we have always realized that the memory of such a tragic and painful event like ours could and must serve as a constant stimulus for doing everything possible to protect and safeguard the public wellbeing.
In the recent tragedy of Lampedusa, those poor victims chose their destiny that was supposed to mark the beginning of a new life.
Unfortunately, we are never solely in charge of our destiny and we know that there are certain consequences, which is something that we have also endured.
We must prevent similar tragedies from happening.
Our Technical Task Force has made us a global actor in the field of safety, and its suggestions are studied and developed.
Due to the commitment of the committee and, now, of Fondazione 8 Ottobre, we are proud to say that we are 'paying it forward' to honor the memory of the 118 victims and Pasquale Padovano, the only survivor.
I want to deeply thank Mayor Pisapia, the city council of Milan and the La Scala Opera House for tonight's extraordinary concert in such a prestigious venue.
We want to thank everyone who has expressed their solidarity to us over the years and also SEA, SAS and all the religious, civilian, and military authorities present tonight.
I also want to salute all the associations that are here with us from Scandinavia, from Bari with the committee of the Capogallo tragedy, from Madrid with the association of the Spanair accident with 153 victims in 2008, and our friend Giovanni Mairati, the founder of Casaalessia; a hard-working humanitarian group that helps disadvantaged children by building schools, kindergartens, and hospitals in the memory of his daughter Alessia and his wife who were victims of an air crash.
In this twelfth year, we received various honors and established important partnerships. Here are a few:

• More streets and public squares were named after the Linate tragedy and others will be named next year.

• The cooperation continues with the DEMETRA Research Center of Rome, with which we organize conferences and debates that always focus on safety. 

• Our partnership with ACI Europe will take us to Doha in Qatar next month for the "Europe Asia Airport Exchange" conference. 

• In early November we will be in Washington for the annual IASS 2013 seminar, and at the end of November we will be in London for the FSF executive committee. 

• We were asked to speak in numerous professional debates organized by universities and specialist organizations.

• A few hours ago at the town hall in Milan, through the initiative of ATM PP (the Federation of Air Traffic Controllers), a volume was presented with the documents of conferences in which our foundation participated.

• We participated as founding members in SOS CATASTROPHE, an international organization of the European Union with headquarters in Brussels.

• We were invited to the 38th ICAO General Assembly, the highest international civil aviation authority, which took place in Montreal last week with the participation of 191 countries, 300 delegations, and 1,450 delegates and observers. 

Commander Radini, the director of our Task Force, as a member of the Flight Safety Foundation, and I, as an international organization for assistance to victims' families, were invited.

I'm extremely proud to announce that the motion, presented by the Spanish government with our cooperation, was supported by many delegations, and we are confident that this proposal will soon be inserted in ICAO regulations.
There are many more instances, but we don't want to list them for fear of sounding too boastful.
These results demonstrate that the role of our organization is much appreciated, especially on an international level.
I know that it does not depend solely on us to change certain terrible systems, but we refuse to follow the pack with its unacceptable bias, nor do we want to accept examples of injustice that have become the norm. With this aim we are determined to continue our commitment to promote awareness and a culture of safety.
We are doing this so that we can fight against incompetence and indifference. As Pope Francis teaches us:

“Sinners, yes, but not corrupt!"

This commitment is the most beautiful gift that we can give in memory of our loved ones.
I've taken too much time from the wonderful, thrilling music about to be performed. I hope everyone enjoys the program and I greatly appreciate your support. Our thoughts go to those beloved and invisible 118 presences that are always with us.
Thank you.

Address by the President Paolo Pettinaroli for the evening at La Scala

We have reached the twelfth anniversary of the Linate tragedy and I can say, if I may, that the hope of creating safety in air transport, working with extreme commitment to the protection, safeguarding and wellbeing of the public, has in many ways become a reality.
The efforts of the 8 Ottobre Committee and Foundation mean that we can now say we enjoy major credibility all over the world, and thus we can feel that we have somehow paid, albeit in a very small part, our debt to the memory of our one hundred and eighteen victims, of our loved ones.
We are now part, in every sense, of the world’s leading organisations in safety; we are highly regarded and considered.
We are continuing along this way with our Technical Task Force, which has enabled us to become valuable respondents worldwide, yet we have our feet firmly on the ground.
The results achieved show that the ability and role of our organisation is esteemed, we are determined to continue with our efforts so that education and the culture of safety become indispensable.
Protecting the lives of all in transport via air, land and water, with more responsible and transparent actions, also means being able to look at our children and grandchildren in the eyes – with a perpetual wound in our hearts -, yet proud of how our work and efforts are producing so many results.
This we have done and will continue to do because we owe it to our one hundred and eighteen loved ones.
Our magical evening at la Scala is a sign of affection and consideration for all of us. Thank you. Heartfelt thanks to Mayor Giuliano Pisapia, to SEA and to all the people and institutions that have stood by our side for the past twelve years.

Paolo Pettinaroli
Chairman of the Foundation
“8 ottobre - 2001”

Speech of president Paolo Pettinaroli at Sant Ambrogio basilica

SANT AMBROGIO BASILICA
OCTOBER 8, 2013

This is the twelfth time that we have gathered after that tragic day on October 8, 2001.
I want to thank His Excellency Monsignor Camisasca, Bishop of Reggio Emilia and Guastalla, who honors us with his presence. Let me remind you that two of our victims came from his diocese.
I also want to thank the religious, civilian and military authorities and all of you who are attending our memorial service, and especially the Giuseppe Verdi Choir of Samarate that accompanied this service with great artistry.
The damage of this tragedy cannot be undone, and the sorrow lives on.
However, as paradoxical as it may seem, that sorrow comforts us. It encourages us to overcome and face the obstacles that we encounter in our work.
This is the moment in which memories hidden deep within us return, even after all these years.
Today we also remember the tragedy of Lampedusa, a huge loss caused by human egotism that never ceases to exist.
Thanks to its Technical Task Force, Fondazione 8 Ottobre is respected around the world and its suggestions are taken into consideration and developed.
Unfortunately, here in Italy, we must deal with the ambiguity of people who ignore us, who say one thing to our faces and then do the complete opposite.
This indifference must never happen again.
It is not wise for people with institutional responsibilities to follow the impressions arriving from the social networks: they are not the comet that leads us towards an objective. Pontius Pilate also asked the crowd for advice, and we unfortunately know the result!
I recall reading a quote by Don Milani:

“What good are clean hands if they're kept in pockets?"

This is what spurs Fondazione 8 ottobre to continue.
And now, we will go to our Bosco dei Faggi memorial, where we will gather together and contemplate our dearest memories.
Thank you.