Today is the 79th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the [Italian] Republic! On June 2nd and 3rd, 1946, almost 25 million Italians (89% of eligible voters) went to the polls to vote in a referendum on what form of government would represent them post-World War II. This referendum marked the end of the Italian constitutional monarchy and ushered in the Italian Republic. This referendum vote is also important in terms of women’s rights because it marked the first time that Italian women held the right to vote, and this referendum, therefore, was held under universal suffrage. It should be noted, though, that although the Republic won in that referendum, this vote also showed a marked division between northern and southern Italy: the north favored the Republic, but the south still strongly favored the monarchy.
This is a good opportunity to keep learning going even as the school year winds down, and our students’ attention span and ability to focus in class also dwindle! I think it is super important to make sure that we teach our students about Italian national holidays besides Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter, so that they can compare to our own national holidays but also so that they know what to expect were they to visit Italy on any of these days. For example, on June 2nd, Rome hosts a military parade, laurel wreaths are laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (on what American tourists call the “Wedding Cake” monument and Italians know as either the Altare della Patria or the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, il Vittoriano), the Frecce tricolori of the Italian Air Force flies over this same monument, the changing of the guard at the Quirinale is more formal with soldiers wearing high uniforms, a solemn rite, and possibly a military marching band. The festivities are not, of course, limited to Rome as it is a national holiday. Also, visitors to Italy will find that banks, schools, and many other businesses (even supermarkets) are closed on June 2. Public transportation may be affected by limited operating hours or changed routes because of the parades nationwide. However, they may also find extended hours and possibly free admission to some tourist attractions.
Here are a few ideas for low prep tasks for students on this Italian National Holiday:
- Play the Italian National Anthem (the first two verses are the ones played at official government events) and teach the first two verses; make sure to print out these two verses and ask students to sing along to this FIFA World Soccer Association video on YouTube.
- Ask students to draw and color the Italian flag.
- Share videos of the day in Rome, 2024:
Buona Festa della Repubblica a tutti!
Project-Based Italian 