A letter by the ex Mayor of Barga, Umberto Sereni containing a message of solidarity and encouragement for the decision to pursue Scotland remaining a member of the EU following the vote on Brexit was sent to the Scottish Parliament earlier this week (article here ) – this morning comes the reply, this time from the House of Commons in England from Mr Alex Salmond, the Scottish politician who politically is one of the foremost proponents of Scottish independence – the probable prerequisite of Scotland remaining inside the EU.
Dear Umberto,
I read your letter to our first Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, with much interest and appreciation.
The letter was brought to my attention by my office manager, Isobel Zambonini, whose husband Carlo’s Great grandfather was of Barghigiane origin. They are both avid readers of barganews.com and yearly visitors to your beautiful city.
My SNP colleagues and I campaigned passionately for a remain vote, so that the UK-wide result is obviously deeply disappointing.
It is heartening to see that the people of Scotland have voted so decisively to remain in the EU.
The first Minister has pledged that we shall do all that we can to keep Scotland in the European union. Indeed, it would be democratically unacceptable for Scotland to be dragged out of the EU against the clearly expressed will of the people of Scotland.The distinct priority for the Scottish government and for the SNP MPs is to reassure European citizens living in Scotland that they are welcome and valued in our communities and to seek to ensure that Scotland continues to be part of the European union. It is therefore very heartening to receive your kind words of encouragement and support from Italy.
We have some very challenging times ahead of us bartoletti am determined to see them through.
When and if time allows, I may even be able to accept your offer to visit your beautiful city of Barga ” the most Scottish city in Italy”
With very best wishes
Alex Salmond MP
Dear First Minister,
It should not surprise you to receive from Barga, municipality of Tuscany, in these days of such tension, a message of solidarity and encouragement for the decision to pursue Scotland remaining a member of the EU following the vote on Brexit and its consequences.
For the rapport that the city of Barga entertains with Scotland, a relationship which is so intense that we are known as the most Scottish of Italian Municipalities, the vote from Scotland to remain was evaluated by us with great satisfaction and equally great admiration.
The fact that the overwhelming majority of Scots have voted to confirm the membership of Europe was further proof of their political maturity and another index of the high degree of civilization that characterizes your people to whom we are bound by deep ties of friendship.
This is a secular history, that is born from the experience of the migration of our people that is seated in Scotland starting from the second half of the nineteenth century and that in the coming years, thanks to the commitment of the Former Lord Provost of Glagow Alex Mosson, the Mayor of East Lothian Pat O’Brien, and painter John Bellany, whose frescoes are in the palace of the Parliament in Edinburgh, has transformed into a veritable conjunction made of friendship, respect and brotherhood.
In recent years the city of Barga has established a twinning agreement with the Municipality of Glasgow and with the communities of East Lothian and has hosted the official visits of mayors of Edinburgh, Glasgow and East Lothian. In their turn the representatives of the city of Barga were received everywhere in Scotland with great cordiality and consideration.
It has thus created a climate of brotherhood and friendship that has resulted in a series of events of great historical and cultural value starting from the stupendous exhibition of painting of the landscape of Lucca to the Mitchell Library of Glasgow, which was inaugurated by Jack Mc Connell, then First Minister of Scotland and Liz Cameron, who was Mayor of Glasgow to arrive at the inauguration of the monument to the dead of the Arandora Star, which was thought of, desired and realized by Monsignor Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow, from recognized barghigiane origins.
It was precisely on the occasion of the inauguration that I was able to meet Mr Alex Salmond, then First Minister of Scotland and have with him a short exchange of words all concentrated on underlining the connection between Barga and Scotland. I told him that, in a sense, this also made him First Minister of our Commune Barga ,”the most Scottish town in Italy” where he would be most welcome at any time.
Words and thoughts now turn to Scotland with the encouragement to proceed in action in order to avert Brexit and to maintain her place in Europe . Barga is ready to celebrate.
Umberto Sereni – Former Mayor of Barga
Gentile Presidente, non si meravigli di ricevere anche da Barga, comune della Toscana, in questi giorni carichi di tensione, un messaggio di solidarietà e di incoraggiamento per le decisioni che ha annunciato di voler prendere in merito alla votazione sul Brexit e sulle sue conseguenze. Per le relazioni che il comune di Barga intrattiene con la Scozia, relazioni così intense da farci autorappresentare come il più scozzese dei comuni italiani, il voto espresso dagli scozzesi alla recente consultazione è stato da noi valutato con grande soddisfazione e altrettanto grande ammirazione.
Il fatto che a stragrande maggioranza gli scozzesi abbiano votato per confermare l’appartenenza all’Europa è stata un’ulteriore prova della loro maturità politica ed un altro indice dell’alto grado di civiltà che caratterizza questo popolo al quale noi siamo legati da profondi vincoli di amicizia. E’ questa una storia secolare, che è nata dall’esperienza migratoria della nostra gente che si è insediata in Scozia a partire dalla seconda metà dell’Ottocento e che in anni prossimi a noi grazie all’impegno delsindaco di Glagow Alex Mosson, del sindaco di East Lothian Pat O Brien, e del pittore John Bellany, i cui affreschi sono nel palazzo del Parlamento a Edimburgo, si è trasformata in una vera e propria congiunzione fatta di amicizia, rispetto e fraternità.
Negli anni del recente passato il comune di Barga ha stabilito un gemellaggio con il Comune di Glasgow e con le comunità dell’East Lothian ed ha ospitato la visita ufficiale dei sindaci di Edimburgo, Glasgow e di East Lothian. A loro volta i rappresentanti del Comune di Barga sono stati ricevuti ovunque in Scozia con grande cordialità e considerazione. Si è così creato un clima di fratellanza e di amicizia che si è tradotto in una serie di eventi di grande valore storico e culturale a cominciare dalla stupenda mostra della pittura del paesaggio Lucchese alla Mitchell Library di Glasgow, che fu inaugurata da Jack Mc Commell, allora presidente del Parlamento scozzese e Liz Cameron, che era il sindaco di Glasgow per arrivare alla inaugurazione del monumento ai morti dell’Arandora Star, che fu pensato, voluto e e realizzato da monsignor Mario Conti, vescovo di Glasgow e Primate di Scozia, dalle riconosciute origini barghigiane.
Fu proprio in occasione di quella inaugurazione che potei avvicinare il signor Alex Salmond, allora presidente del Parlamento e Scozzesi ed avere con lui un breve scambio di parole tutto concentrato sulla sottolineatura della connessione tra Barga e la Scozia. Gli dissi che definendosi Barga ,”the most Scottish town in Italy” lui doveva ricordare di essere in un certo senso anche il presidente del nostro comune, che era ben lieto di ospitarlo . Parole e pensieri che adesso rivolgo a lei con l’incoraggiamento a procedere nella azione per scongiurare il Brexit e per mantenere la Scozia in Europa . Barga è pronta a festeggiarla.
Umberto Sereni – Former Mayor of Barga