Presentation of a commemorative stamp for the 160th anniversary of the Foundation of the Italian Red Cross

Everywhere for everyone

Solidarity, fraternal help, assistance without distinction are the values that the Vatican Post Office wished to celebrate with the joint issue of the commemorative stamp for the 160th anniversary of the foundation of the Italian Red Cross, with the postal administrations of Italy, San Marino and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The stamp depicts Italian Red Cross volunteers involved in  rescue operations at the site of the collapse of the Polcevera Viaduct, known as the Morandi Bridge, in Genoa on 14 August 2018. The stamp was unveiled by the engineer, Antonino Intersimone, Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate.

The ceremony took place on Saturday morning, 15 June, at the offices of the Civita Association in Piazza Venezia in Rome. Also present at the ceremony, were Rosario Maria Gianluca Valastro, President of the Italian Red Cross and representatives of Italy, San Marino and the Sovereign military Order of Malta: Fausta Bergamotto, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy, Giovanni Machetti, Director of the Philately service of Poste Italiane, Gian Luca Amici, General Director of Poste San Marino,  Giorgio Battioni, Administrative Director of Poste Magistrali of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Luca Sciascia, Supervisor of products, stamps and mint of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (State mint).

The following is the address of the engineer, Intersimone:

First of all, I would like to greet and thank the Authorities gathered here.

I greet and thank the National President of the Italian Red Cross and its delegation.

I greet the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy, (lawyer, Fausta Bergamotto) and all the Authorities and representatives of the postal administrations of Italy, the Republic of San Marino, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca of the State, gathered here.

Distinguished guests,

It is a pleasure for me to represent Vatican City State in the presentation of this joint issue, dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the foundation of the Italian Red Cross, the fruit of cooperation and synergy among our postal administrations.

The Vatican, which always welcomes with great interest, joint initiatives dedicated to luminaries and anniversaries that have had a significant impact on our common history, wished to highlight on this auspicious occasion for friendship among participating countries, also a sincere commitment to shared values of solidarity, assistance to those in need and the universality of humanitarian action, which are the founding principles of the Red Cross and the objectives which are ever present in the magisterium of the Church.

The bond between the Vatican and the Italian Red Cross, which often cooperates with Pontifical institutions in charitable and solidarity initiatives, was strengthened in recent years with events of worldwide appeal involving the Holy See and Rome. Images of large crowds that flocked to Rome from all over the world, for the Jubilee of 2000 are still alive in the eyes and ears of many, as well as the crowds that went to bid their final farewell to John Paul II, and more recently to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. The Italian Red Cross’ lent fundamental support and efficiency to all these occasions, as well as a spirit of self-sacrifice shown by many operators and volunteers. As the 2025 Jubilee approaches, this cooperation will certainly be further strengthened.

The words Pope Francs addressed to representatives of the Italian Red Cross on 6 April come to mind. The Holy Father described the foundation in 1864 as the fruit of “an outpouring of humanity that translated into concrete gestures and works of aid and care, without distinction on the basis of nationality, social class, religion or political opinion.”. These principles are efficiently summed up in the slogan, “Ovunque per chiunque” (everywhere for everyone), chosen to celebrate this 160th anniversary and depicted on the stamp we are presenting today.

I would like to conclude by underscoring that thanks to a universal and inclusive vocation not to be taken for granted at the time of the foundation, the history of the Red Cross was marked also by the fundamental presence of women. The autobiographical writings of Edith Stein, saint, intellectual and martyr of the 20th century, whose name is linked to philosophical research on the value of empathy, reveal the importance of the formative role of human and professional experience she had accumulated as a Red Cross volunteer during World War 1, despite her family’s disapproval. She was an example of that rare skill and generosity needed to be “builders of a fraternal and solidarity-based world”, as Pope Francis said.