(by Isabella Pezzoli)
“Fascism for me cannot be considered a political faith … Fascism is the antithesis of all political faiths, because it oppresses the faiths of others” – Sandro Pertini, was an Italian partisan and president of the Italian Republic, since 1978 to 1985.
Anti-fascism is a movement that was born towards the end of the First World War and stands in contrast with fascism.
The National Association of Partisans of Italy (ANPI) is an association born in Rome in 1944 founded by the participants in the Italian Resistance against the Nazi-fascist occupation in the Second World War.
ANPI distinguishes itself from other anti-fascist associations since membership in the association can be made by everyone: partisans, members of the Armed Forces who fought against the Germans, deportees during the War of Liberation, but also any adult citizen who claims to be “anti-fascist”.
The objectives of the ANPI are the enhancement of the partisan struggle through the promotion of research and testimonies and the support of the values of freedom and democracy at the basis of the 1948 Constitution of the Italian Republic.
In Italy, there are also other associations who fight fascism such as the FIAP, the Italian Federation of Partisans, and the FIVL, the Italian Federation of Freedom Volunteers and of partisans from the Catholic area.
The motto that characterizes the ANPI is “Every battle for the rights of all is a battle of the ANPI”.
At last, in 2021, on the occasion of the Italian National Day, on June 2nd, the “Forum of Anti-Fascist and Resistance Associations” is born: it is an initiative that unites all anti-fascist associations (Anpi, Aicvas, Aned, Anei , Anfim, Anpc, Anppia, Anrp, Fiap, Fivl) with the aim of affirming, defending and relaunching the values of anti-fascism and of the Resistance, but also to educate citizens, especially young people.
