On Saturday 12th March, Florence will hold a peace rally in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Demonstrating against the Russian invasion and war, the city is at the forefront of Italy’s planned events.
Kyiv and Florence have been twinned since 1967. Florence will be at the forefront of Italy’s events in support of Ukraine this weekend. The peace rally is on Saturday 12 March, 15:00 in Piazza S. Croce.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy should address the crowds in Florence via video link.
Eurocities, the network of more than 200 large cities in Europe, called for the event, which the city’s mayor organised, reports La Repubblica newspaper. Mayor Nardella hopes the Florence demonstration will be the largest of its kind since the war started
In addition to all of Italy’s central-left political parties, the three main trade unions – the CGIL, CISL and UIL – will also be present. In addition, a myriad of groups including the partisan association ANPI and the lay Catholic charity S. Egidio.
Solidarity with Ukraine
“Florence condemns the war and expresses closeness and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and in particular to the cities of Ukraine that are victims of this war,” Nardella states on the Regione Toscana website.
The invitation is to “all local and national political forces, to the world of work, trade unions and associations” in order to “send a strong message of peace and condemnation of war.”
Il Foglio newspaper reports that Giuseppe Conte, leader of the 5-Star Movement, will take part in a separate rally in Naples on the same day.
