Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — For the first time, the Italian mission marked the Italian Armed Forces Day at Jeddah’s non-Muslim cemetery, to commemorate the centenary of the end to World War I, on Sunday.

“The ceremony at the non-Islamic cemetery was particularly significant as it was held on the day in which, in Italy, we commemorate the end of the First World War and we celebrate the day of our Armed Forces. It is a moment of remembrance for their never-ending sacrifices to defend our homeland and our freedom,” said Luca Ferrari, Ambassador of Italy.

The ceremony was attended by the Italian Ambassador, the Italian Consul General, and the Italian Defense Attaché, where they laid a wreath on the grave of the unknown Italian soldier to commemorate the sacrifice of Italian armed forces during the First World War.

The event was attended by all the European Consuls General, the Consuls General of Japan and Korea and several other diplomats.

It must be noted that the non-Muslim cemetery of Jeddah has around 15 buried Italian citizens, four of them were soldiers from the Italian Navy who died during the Second World War.