Italy to celebrate Republic Day with mass parade in Rome

(AGI) Rome, June 1 - Around 3,700 members of the military and civilians will take part in Italy's Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day) celebrations on June 2 at the Roman Forum. The air force's aerobatic team, the Frecce Tricolori, will also perform their traditional flyby. The celebrations will open at the Altare della Patria, where Italian President Sergio Mattarella will lay a crown of bay leaves - representing all the soldiers and civilians who served the State - upon the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. President Mattarella will be accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Roberta Pinotti, and other senior members of government. The parade will feature 74 members of the Italian army's band, 55 members of the Carabinieri's band and equestrian group, and 3,550 members split among the seven sectors where the parade will run. There will also be 400 mayors selected among all those who accepted the invitation from the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI). For the first time ever, the mayors themselves will don their red, white and green sashes and open the celebrations in the Forum, symbolising the fact that June 2 is a day for all Italians. The hashtag "#festaditutti" was also designated for the event. . .