The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, issued the following statement:
“Today we celebrate the 229th anniversary of the birth of our flag, the Tricolour, the symbol of our Homeland.
The Tricolour first flew in 1797, carried by the winds of revolution in the Cispadane Republic. Later, through the Risorgimento, it became in 1861 the flag of the Kingdom of Italy. Chosen by the Constituent Assembly as the banner of the new State, it now embodies the fundamental values enshrined in our Constitution: unity, freedom, democracy, and social cohesion.
As the emblem of the Republic, it represents Italian identity everywhere—on peacekeeping missions of our Armed Forces, at our diplomatic offices abroad, and in sporting competitions.
All Italians regard our Flag with love and respect. In it, we see our shared history, the foundations of our civilization, and the essence of our national community.
Long live our Tricolour, long live our Republic!”
Rome, 07/01/2026
