The educational project at “Dante Alighieri” school of Olgiate Olona
In order to provide continuity and sightedness to the memory of June 26, 1959, an educational project has been started in 2010 thanks to the intuition of Alberto Colombo supported by Beato Contardo Ferrini Institute and by the Municipality of Olgiate Olona. The project is addressed to the students in the eighth-grade of Dante Alighieri school and consists of: a multimedia conversation in the classroom about the historical fact and the commemorative events, dialog with the students, screening of the video of song Olgiate Olona, 26 Giugno 1959 composed by Nicola Puddu; production of a work written in Italian language follows. The works in poetry and prose are received anonymous; then they are selected and judged by a jury outside the school; the most deserving works - those which best reflect the historical fact and the commemorative events - are rewarded during the commemoration of June the 26. Because of their exceptional nature, some works received a Special award offered personally by Alberto Colombo with the authorization of Olgiate Olona mayor.
school year:
2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17
2015/16 | 2014/15 | 2013/14 | 2012/13 | 2011/12 | 2010/11 | 2009/10
Commemoration of June 26, 2024 - Luca Federico Bandera, first classified
Works awarded school year 2023-2024
In 2024, the educational project in memory of the plane crash was addressed to 56 students in the eighth grade of Dante Alighieri school.
First classified, the poem Il ricordo by LUCA FEDERICO BANDERA:
Il ricordo
(the memory)
A plane crashed in Olgiate Olona,
this fact should not be forgotten.
It was struck by lightning
and marked the culmination of the lives of 70 people;
a restored monument
was dedicated to them.
Forgetting is like erasing,
remembering is like hugging again.
Second classified ex aequo, the poem Non riesco a smettere di pensare by IRENE MANZO:
Non riesco a smettere di pensare
(I can’t stop thinking)
I can’t stop thinking
of those seventy lives torn from the earth by sudden lightning.
I can’t stop thinking
about their terror, their full awareness of imminent death.
I can’t stop thinking
of their families, heartbroken,
who had to hear the worst news there could be.
I can’t stop thinking
about the unborn child, who was denied even the possibility of having a thought.
I can’t stop thinking
about the risk of forgetting these innocent lives.
I can’t stop thinking
that thanks to our memory everyone will always remember what happened.
I can’t stop thinking
about how each of those souls will now live in history.
Second classified ex aequo, the poem Nei cuori della gente by GIORGIA TRACANZAN:
Nei cuori della gente
(in the hearts of people)
Sitting on the steps of the house
I see that lightning
killer of lives.
Dreams, goals and promises torn away,
who knows if the joy will return.
It’s not just something you lose,
it’s not being able to see you in the beautiful green fields anymore.
The past cannot return,
but we can remember.
You will live forever inside people’s hearts,
so each of us will come out a winner.
Tragedy leaves gaps that are difficult to fill,
but thanks to memory our lives can improve.
Second classified ex aequo, the poem 70 sogni infranti by SARA PASSARELLI:
70 sogni infranti
(70 broken dreams)
That afternoon, the rain turned to tears.
Seventy broken dreams,
seventy lives torn away in a single second,
like lightning falling.
The silence all around: heartbreaking, deadly.
Today seventy souls can still sing.
Second classified ex aequo, the poem Il tempo by ANDREA MARRONE:
Il tempo
(the time)
A few seconds and everything can change
just as the sky can get worse in an instant.
A light hit us,
a noise was heard.
Death is approaching
our little door.
Memory will not be able to continue
if we do not begin to remember
with facts or words
each person with what they want.
Commemoration of June 26, 2024
The students awarded with deputy mayor, school director, vicar and literature teachers Stefania Ielpo and Antonio Ritrovato
Commemoration of June 26, 2024 - Giorgia Tracanzan rewarded with 2024 Special award
Special award 2024
Before the notification of the names of students authors of the finalist works, the mayor of Olgiate Olona authorized - even in 2024 - Alberto Colombo to give the Special award in a personal capacity to the work Nei cuori della gente with the following motivation: «The poem - written in verses embellished with refined rhyme - summarizes in a skilful swing of words and emotions the memory of June 26, 1959, embodied by the dialogue with the seventy immortal lives and with oneself.».
Determined thereafter that the work Nei cuori della gente was the one of Giorgia Tracanzan, deputy mayor Leonardo Richiusa handed over the Special award 2024 to this student on June 26, 2024: a pens set with the date of June 26, 2024 engraved on it accompanied by an auspicious message that encourages the student to cultivate the talents not only literary underlying the awarded work.
Documents and articles related to the educational project 2023-2024
June 26, 2024 - Article published in Malpensa24.it
Ore 17.33: Olgiate Olona si ferma per ricordare «le 70 vite immortali» del disastro aereo del 1959
June 26, 2024 - Article published in IlBustese.it
June 25, 2024 - Article published in IlBustese.it
26 giugno, ore 17.33: Olgiate Olona ricorda il disastro aereo del 1959
June 21, 2024 - Article published in La prealpina
La tragedia di Olgiate nel 1959: ferita ancora aperta
May 18, 2024 - Article published in La prealpina
Il disastro aereo visto dai ragazzi
February 16, 2024 - Article published in La Settimana
A Olgiate Olona gli studenti ricordano il disastro aereo
February 12, 2024 - Article published in Malpensa24.it
Olgiate non dimentica: torna il concorso per le scuole sul disastro aereo del ’59
February 12, 2024 - Article published in VareseNews.it
I ragazzi delle scuole ricordano il disastro aereo di Olgiate Olona
February 12, 2024 - Article published in PrimaSaronno.it
Sono 56 gli studenti coinvolti nel progetto didattico “Disastro aereo del 1959”
February 12, 2024 - Article published in IlBustese.it
«Settanta vite immortali». I 56 alunni protagonisti nella memoria a Olgiate