In the photo, Israel Drobles, one of the Selvino children, greets mayor Diego Bertocchi at the meeting on May 7, 2023
The children of Selvino participate in the mourning for the passing of Diego Bertocchi, which occurred on 17 October 2023.
They offer their condolences to the family, friends and citizens of Selvino.
Diego was mayor of Selvino from 2014 to 2023. He was 35 years old, leaves behind his wife and a son.
On behalf of all the families of the “Children of Selvino” we express our deepest condolences to the Municipality of Selvino and to the family of Diego Bertocchi.
It is always painful to lose someone we love, admire and respect, but it is even more painful when the person leaving us is a young person like Diego. For this reason we have no words to offer you our condolences. Even though nothing can alleviate your sadness and pain, we want to remember Diego’s achievements in improving life in the city of Selvino and in helping to reshape and revitalize the mission of the “Selvino children’s family”, in the memory of those returned to life thanks to Sciesopoli.
Diego was a unique person and an admired and capable leader. He has left a huge impression on our lives. We met Diego shortly after his election as Mayor of Selvino in 2014.
He was only 26 years old, he was enthusiastic and curious about our role for Selvino.
He knew how to listen carefully and in a short time he became familiar with our requests and did everything possible to make them happen.
In the few years of his life, while he held the role of mayor, Diego tried to reawaken in everyone the spirit of love and admiration of the former “Children of Selvino”, or rather of the “Sons of Selvino”.
The visits to Sciesopoli, the constant attention to initiatives to preserve and enhance the memory of the Children’s Home of Selvino, the international meeting in 2015 of the Children of Selvino, the conservative intervention on the Sciesopoli building, signed in 2017 with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and above all the establishment of the MuMeSE museum in the municipal building, are the fruit of this determined and decisive commitment to making known what happened in Selvino after the Shoah, the reconstruction of life, the rebirth of around 800 orphans, a story of great historical and educational significance. These projects have materialized and transformed into a progressive realization, from which we will not have to come back.
In recent years Selvino has experienced a continuous pilgrimage of tourists, students and families of former “Children”, many coming from abroad.
This is the mission of the Children of Selvino. We will miss Diego’s leadership, but we are certain that the municipal administration will be able to continue on the path undertaken with the enthusiasm that Diego has shown us in recent years.
We now hope that with a common commitment, UNESCO will recognize Sciesopoli as a heritage site of the Memory of Humanity for the welcome offered to young Jewish refugees who survived after the Shoah.
As you all grieve the loss of your mayor, a dear colleague and a work friend, we hope for you and Diego’s family a little comfort.
May his love and memory accompany you in the years to come. Diego will always remain in our hearts and in our memory.
7-05-2023, Diego Bertocchi with the Children of Selvino
7-05-2023, the Gordonia flag of the Children of Selvino delivered to MuMeSE
7-05-2023, the Gordonia flag of the Children of Selvino delivered to the mayor Diego Bertocchi
9.26.2017, Naama and Tami (daughters of Lea Spivak, a child from Selvino) with the mayor Diego Bertocchi and Walter Mazzoleni (son of the caretaker of Sciesopoli)
19-01-2019 Mayor Diego Bertocchi and Enrico Grisanti place the plaque on the tree in memory of the children of Selvino
