The national flag has been hoisted at Maria Dolens also known as the Bell of the Fallen in the historic Rovereto city, Trento Province of Italy.
Cast with the bronze of the cannons of all the nations participating in World War I, Bell of the Fallen is the largest bell in the world to sound at full peal. Every evening at dusk, its 100 tolls are a testimony of world peace.
The national flag was hoisted and waved in front of the Peace Bell at a special ceremony on June 24, the Embassy of Nepal in Geneva has stated.
On the occasion, Nepal’s non-resident ambassador to Italy, Deepak Dhital, handed over the national flag to the regent of the Peace Bell Foundation, Senator Alberto Robol.
The Peace Bell was rung 100 times amidst the hoisting of the national flag and playing of the national anthem at the ceremony.
It is stated that Nepal’s national flag would be hoisted separately in front of the Bell for two weeks before installing it permanently alongside the flags of other nations.
At the programme, Foundation regent Robol welcomed Nepal as the 96th nation to install its national flag at Maria Dolens. He said the place has been developing as a mini United Nations for promoting peace, brotherhood and mutual understanding.
Stating that the Italians have much goodwill and friendship towards Nepal and the Nepalese, Senator Robol said the peoples of the two countries have become even closer with the installation of Nepal’s national flag at the memorial.
Ambassador Dhital expressed happiness and pride on behalf Nepal, the country where the apostle of peace, the Gautam Buddha was born, for the opportunity to hoist and install the national flag at Miravelle Hill where the Peace Bell symbolising world peace and brotherhood is located.
Noting that relations between Nepal and Italy have been expanding at the government level as well as at the people’s level, ambassador Dhital called for making this relation more dynamic based on mutual cooperation.
The ceremony was organised under the aegis of the Peace Foundation. About 150 people including the president of the Foundation, the government commissioner for Trento Province, the Province Chair and the Deputy Mayor of Trento City were present on the occasion. There was also a notable presence of Nepali community at the programme.
Born from an idea of Don Antonio Rossaro, Rovereto’s Campana dei Caduti (Bell of the Fallen) was cast in Trento in 1924 with the bronze of the cannons of the participating nations of the First World War. Baptized with the name Maria Dolens, it was placed on the Malipiero tower of Castello di Rovereto.
The Bell, recast in Verona in 1939 was returned to Rovereto exactly one year later. In 1960, following a serious and irreparable crack, Maria Dolens was recast at the Capanni foundries in Castelnovo Né Monti (Reggio Emilia). The current bronze, blessed by Pope Paul VI, was placed on the Colle di Miravalle on November 4, 1965, from where it continues to tower over the entire city of Rovereto.
