Cambridge delegation bolsters Italian ties as Freedom Fountain initiative discussed
Bonds between the UK and Italy were strengthened when a Cambridge delegation met with Italian mayors and discussed the plans for a Freedom Fountain off Mill Road.
The group visited Castelluccio Valmaggiore, the birthplace of Mill Road hairdresser Piero D’Angelico, who is a Knight of the Order of St George and were welcomed by the mayor Sir Pasquale Marchese.
Accompanying Piero were mayor of Cambridge Cllr Baiju Thittala, Cllr Robert Dryden, a city councillor and Grand Master of the Order of St George, Abdul-Kayum Arain, chair of the Cambridge Muslim Trust and chaplain at Anglia Ruskin University, and Mihail Stoyanov, Knight of the Order and Chair of the Little Bulgaria Charity.
Cllr Thittala, Cllr Dryden and Mr Arain were awarded honorary Italian citizenship in recognition of their cultural and charitable contributions, including on the Cambridge Gateway from India, a restored heritage landmark celebrating Cambridge’s multicultural legacy. The mayor was honoured for his fight against racism and community work.
But the highlight of the visit was the presentation of the Freedom Fountain Initiative, a proposal to install a memorial in Ditchburn Place, off Mill Road, near the Gateway from India arch, to honour the 1.5 million soldiers of the British Indian Army who served in the First World War and the 2.5 million who served in the Second World War – the largest force in military history.
Among them, more than 50,000 Indian troops fought on Italian soil during the Second World War, with 5,782 laying down their lives. The fountain will commemorate soldiers from across modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Burma, who played a pivotal role in liberating Europe.
Sir Pasquale spoke of his admiration for the Freedom Fountain vision and pledged support for a similar memorial in Italy to honour the Indian soldiers who helped to liberate his country. He spoke of remembrance as a powerful tool for unity and mutual respect across cultures and nations.
Addressing a gathering of 29 Italian mayors, military generals and more than 200 guests, Cllr Thittala delivered a heartfelt tribute to the fallen heroes of the United Indian Army. He acknowledged the historical gaps in recognition and the need to commemorate their bravery, not just in books but through visible, lasting public memorials.
The ceremony culminated with a solemn tribute, as members of the Italian armed forces laid flowers in honour of United Indian Army soldiers beside those commemorating the Italian fallen.
The delegation then held diplomatic meetings with the mayors of Andria, Barletta, Trani, Margherita di Savoia and Bari, where the Freedom Fountain Initiative met with more support, with each city expressing interest in future collaboration to share the story.
