Italy celebrated its sixth “Giorno dei nonni” [Grandparents’ Day] on Saturday with special events all over the country and a message of gratitude from President Napolitano.
The President awarded a posthumous honour to a Milanese grandmother who was knocked over and killed in March as she saved her four-year-old grandson from being hit by the same vehicle.
October 2nd is “Guardian Angels Day” in the Roman Catholic Church and the organisers of the “Giorno dei Nonni” believe that grandparents are, indeed, angels. In Italy 67% of grandparents look after their grandchildren every day while their parents are at work and most of them care for children aged between one and five.
At Noceto [Emilia-Romagna ], a town that campaigned for an official Grandparents’ Day, a literary competition was held in which people were invited to write stories about their grandparents.
In Ravenna [Emilia-Romagna] there were theatrical events for adults and children and a photographic exhibition of grandparents and grandchildren entitled “Silver Photos”.
In Rome several museums offered free admission to over-sixties accompanied by a grandchild and in Pescara [Abruzzo] schoolchildren were invited to enter a competition called “I love my grandparents because….”.
These were just some of the events that made some very special people happy in Italy on Saturday.
Does your country have a Grandparents’ Day?
