The Peace, Security & Prosperity conference programme

Agenda

You can register for the conference here:

The Sicily

Peace, Security & Prosperity Conference

Friday, 7 July 2023

0930 VIP and opening Session

  • Opening remarks by Mr Steve Gregory, founder of the IFPSP
  • Sicilian Region Representative
  • Army Commander in Sicily, Major General Maurizio Angelo Scardino
  • Representative of the City of Catania
  • The Rt Hon Edward Llewellyn, UK Ambassador to Italy
  • Mr Tony Loffreda, Canadian senator representing the province of Quebec
  • Ms Tracy Roberts-Pounds, Consul General Naples, US Embassy to Italy
  • Colonel Thomas Reiberling, Defense Attache, Embassy of Germany
  • Joseph Lonardo, General Counsel, The National Italian American Foundation

1030 The Italian perspective on the 1943 campaign

  • Dr Alfio Caruso: The Impact of the 1943 Events on the civilian population
  • Dr Salvatore Platania: The disembarkation (Landing) seen by the Sicilian people
  • Dr Marco Gimillaro : The perception of the armed forces in Sicily
  • Prof Federico Ciavattone: Perception of volunteers in the Arditi and paratroopers
  • Historical session moderated by Justin Maciejewski, director, National Army Museum
  • Dr John Curatola, the National World War II Museum.
  • Dr Tim Cook, The Canadian War Museum
  • Waymand Brothers of the National World War II Museum
  • Secretary Charles Djou, The American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC)

1330     Brunch hosted by the Metropolitan City of Catania

1430 Dr Joseph Quinn, Their Finest Hour, University of Oxford

1500 Post-war reconstruction and peace (Room C3):

Mr Steve Gregory will moderate the session with international experts including Dr Martin Nassua of The German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg, Dr John Curatola and Captain Sara Isgro on reconstruction and peace with the theme: AMGOT and the reconstruction programme.

1630 The Commonwealth approach to memorialization

The CWGC in Italy today and its plans for the world in the future.

CWGC country manager Claudia Scimonelli and Giordano Righetti

1700 The Sicilian Motor Vehicle Association

Professor Angelo Privitera, Dr Federico Magiavacchi, Dr Franco Scalisi. This will be followed by a tour of the external military car park along the avenues of the ‘Le Ciminiere’ complex.

1715 End of Day One

The programme can be changed by the conference organisers.

 Saturday, 8 July 2023

 0900 The British Approach to Memorialisation introduced by Edmund O’Sullivan

  • Gavin Mortimer, author and historian
  • Ian Pearson of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Association on the DLI in Sicily
  • Mark Howard, independent historian, photography of Sicily in 1943
  • Steve Erskine, researcher at The Green Howards Museum on The Green Howards
  • Richard O’Sullivan of the London Irish Rifles Museum on the 38th (Irish) Brigade
  • Michael Leese on General Oliver Leese

1100 Coffee

1130  The Italian approach to memorialisation

  • Angelo Plumari, Sicilian historian, on the Language of Commemoration
  • Salvatore Maltese, director of Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia 1943
  • Antonello Forestiere, Sicilian historian
  • Arch Daniela Villari on Catania: A “Then and Now” told through photographs

1330  Brunch hosted by the Metropolitan City of Catania

1430 Brainstorming: A nationwide approach to memorialization

Introduction by Major General Scardino

The audience will be tasked to work in small groups to apply a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis methodology, to explore, through three work sessions, the feasibility and benefits of a national system for memorialisation. Facilitator: Mr Robert Desourdis. Participants will include conference experts including a representative from the CWGC.

1630 Summary of the Workshop

1645 Closing remarks by Steve Gregory

1800 Presentation and national preview screening of the documentary film (Room C1-1200):

For Freedom. The secret war of OSS in Italy 1943-1945

Written and directed by Ezio Costanzo, (90 minute Italian language with English subtitles)

2030 Closing music concert in the Amphitheatre

The concert will be performed by Banda Aosta military band.

 

Admission to the conference is free for registered delegates.

 You can register to attend here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-sicily-peace-security-prosperity-conference-tickets-536972999697

Other activities

 Sunday 9 July

1200 Remembrance Service at Catania War Cemetery

1800 Remembrance Service at Syracuse War Cemetery

2000 Remembrance Service at the Pachino cemetery

 Monday 10 July

O800 Landing beach events at Pachino for Canada’s 1st Division, Avola for the 8th Army and Gela/Licata for the Seventh Army. The Walk for Remembrance & Peace (WRAP) starts.

1030 British and Canadian delegates process into Pachino

1900 Remembrance event in Pachino for Canada’s 1st Division and 1st Armoured Brigade