Olgiate Olona, June 26, 1959 - Commemorative events (2025)

Commemorative events of June 26, 1959

• Rewarded in 2011 with medal of the President of the Italian Republic •

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Commemorative events 2025

In 2025, the educational project in memory of the plane crash was addressed to all the 127 students in the eighth grade of Dante Alighieri school of Olgiate Olona.

Commemoration of 66^th anniversary of the plane crash

The ceremony held in the Town hall on June 26, 2025, was attended by Livraga mayor Giuseppe Ferrari, the relatives of the seventy immortal lives coming from United States of America and Italy, the representatives of the associations of Olgiate Olona, the students in the eighth grade authors of the deserving works produced in the fifteenth edition of the educational project in memory of June 26, 1959: awarded with a merit certificate, the authors of the second and third classified works received a book coupon sponsored by the relatives of Paolo Ciserani and by Nuova cimatura Vanzini of Olgiate Olona. The book edited by Alberto Colombo titled La memoria del 26 giugno 1959 perpetuata dai giovani olgiatesi. Il progetto didattico 2010-2025 e gli elaborati meritevoli premiati (trans. The memory of June 26, 1959, perpetuated by the young people of Olgiate Olona. The educational project 2010-2025 and the worthy awarded works) was presented. The book - which collects the literary and human heritage of high quality and profound value constituted by the 140 worthy works awarded in the first fifteen editions of the educational project - is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Billiani (1997-2011) who, before participating in the educational project, reached seventy immortal lives in the afterlife. The promoting staff of the commemorative events of June 26, 1959, awarded a certificate of thanks to Thomas’ mother.

With a letter sent to Olgiate Olona mayor Giovanni Montano, Livraga mayor Giuseppe Ferrari thanks the people of Olgiate Olona the day after the ceremony of June 26, 2025, attended in the Town hall. On June 26, 2025, mayor Ferrari paid a visit to the memorial monument of the plane crash.

Fifteenth edition of the educational project: the works awarded

Commemoration of June 26, 2025
Commemorative speech of Olgiate Olona mayor
read at the ceremony by the deputy mayor Leonardo Richiusa

June 26, 1959, represents for Olgiate Olona a date that brings to mind a mournful event which has indelibly marked the life of our community and of many families scattered around the world who lost their loved ones in the plane crash.

With the inexorable passing of time, the memory of the sad event was first handed down by eyewitnesses who rushed to the crash site, then by the precious works of Mr. Alberto Colombo who dedicated time and passion to putting down on paper and documenting a dramatic page of local history that would otherwise have been lost, and, last but not least, by the website in memory of the plane crash to which our Municipality has granted patronage.

In passing on the memory of the plane crash of June 26, 1959, a key role is played by our new generations, the students in the eighth-grade of Dante Alighieri school who - thanks to the educational project now in its fifteenth edition - are personally committed to keeping alive the memory of the seventy immortal lives, those who on June 26^th, 66 years ago, were on board the TWA aircraft and who concluded their earthly existence in the sky of Olgiate Olona.

For us people of Olgiate Olona of all ages, commemorating the plane crash of 1959 is not only a dutiful and heartfelt act of respect, a moment of prayer and collective memory, but it also represents an important moment of meditation on the meaning of life and the importance of bonds, affections, responsibilities and priorities with which we all interface on a daily basis. The precariousness of our earthly existence is often inexorably highlighted by the reports of sad events that the media pass on to us daily – the tragedy of Air India flight 171 bound for London two weeks ago inevitably comes to mind, with its very high cost of human lives. We cannot change the course of events but we can ensure that our existence is a quality life, that is, it translates into small great daily gestures, towards ourselves but above all towards others: for those in difficulty, for those who need words of comfort or simply to be listened to.

I am strongly convinced that a community is alive and welcoming when every citizen, in everyday life, commits himself with praiseworthy civic commitment for the well-being of all the community. For this reason, I would like to thank all those who - in a spirit of solidarity - are committed to ensuring that June 26^th continues to be a significant anniversary: Mr. Alberto Colombo and his collaborators, the students of the educational project with their teachers, the families of the victims of the plane crash who honor us with their presence today, the local Associations and all the citizens who did not want to miss this commemoration.

Dr. Giovanni Montano
Olgiate Olona mayor

Documents related to the commemorative events of 2025

June 30, 2025 - Municipality of Livraga

Letter of thanks by Livraga mayor

June 27, 2025 - Press releases of Municipality of Olgiate Olona

66^th anniversary of plane crash of June 26, 2025: speech of Olgiate Olona mayor

Commemoration of June 26, 2025 - 66^th anniversary

International prayer in suffrage

Presentation of book edited by Alberto Colombo

June 9, 2025 - Press releases of Municipality of Olgiate Olona

66^th anniversary of the plane crash of Olgiate Olona: on June 26, 2025, ceremony in the Town hall with presentation of a book

Selection of articles related to the commemorative events of 2025