Erika Malandra The City Council of the Pelagian Islands decided to confer honorary citizenship on Saturday to the firstborn born in Lampedusa after 51 years. There child, Maria, was born on 31 July 2021 and currently lives with her parents in Piana degli Albanesi.
Honorary citizenship for the first baby born in Lampedusa after 51 years
On the occasion of this recognition, a playground in via Roma will be dedicated to small, the Vice Prefect Carmen Cosentino, representative of the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, will be present at the ceremony. Maria was born in the clinic of the Territorial Emergency Point (Pte). Rita, a 38-year-old Ivorian woman and already the mother of twins, was among the migrants rescued and disembarked shortly before at the Favarolo pier. Having reached the end of her pregnancy, she was transported to the clinic as a precaution.
Lampedusa, honorary citizenship for little Maria: the first baby after 51 years
At the Pte, Rita went into labor, but due to the circumstances it was not possible to transfer her via air ambulance. She was assisted and supported by Maria Raimondo, a nurse from Corleone working at the Lampedusa clinic, from whom the little girl took her name.
This act of recognition not only celebrates the courage and resilience of Rita and Maria, but also represents a tribute to the human solidarity and dedication of the healthcare workers working in critical points on the island. The honorary citizenship awarded to Maria symbolizes a deep bond between the island and those born there, regardless of their origin, and reflects the openness and welcoming of the local community.