2 June is Italian Republic Day, a national holiday that commemorates the proclamation of the Italian state. On 2 and 3 June 1946, a national referendum was held in which the majority of Italians called to the polls decided which regime would henceforth prevail in Italy. After 85 years of reign, Italy became a republic and the Savoy monarchs were removed from power.

Numerous people in Piazza Unione Europea attended the Republic Day ceremony. Prefect Cosima Di Stani laid a laurel wreath at the foot of the war memorial together with General Riccardo Galletta, interregional commander of the Carabinieri. The prefect then read the message from the President of the Republic. Numerous people attended the event together with authorities, representatives of the police forces and institutions. Among those who took part in the ceremony were also some mayoral candidates such as Franco De Domenico, Federico Basile and Maurizio Croce. The events on the occasion of Republic Day continue in the afternoon, as the Prefect herself recalled at the end of the ceremony: "There are many people and I am particularly happy about this," she said, "I renew my invitation to the citizens of Messina to participate in the other celebratory events that will take place in the afternoon in the university gardens. There is a beautiful concert that Corelli has organised for the city and then there will be the presentation of the Honours of Merit of the Republic and the medals for the relatives of people who were interned in the labour camps during the Second World War.