Florence, June 21^st, 2023. The ceremony of the Command turnover between Lieutenant General Pietro Tornabene and Major General Roberto Vannacci has been held today in the "Attilio Mori" Historical Library of the Italian Military Geographic Institute, in the presence of Lieutenant General Rosario Castellano, the Military Commander of the Capital.

The event was attended by local religious, civil and military authorities.

Before starting his speech, General Castellano asked to observe a minute's silence in order to express, all together, the heartfelt condolences and closeness to the families of the victims of the tragic accident that occurred last June 15^th. He then said: "Today we are saying goodbye to General Pietro Tornabene, an Officer with a very high cultural profile who, during his mandate, strengthened the bond with the city of Florence and the Region of Tuscany. The “Fiorino d'Oro” and the “Pegaso d'Oro” awards are clear evidence of this. I am sure that the new Commander, Major General Roberto Vannacci, with whom I share a common and vast operational experience, will continue to keep up the excellent reputation of IGMI”.
Lieutenant General Tornabene, who assumed IGMI command about six years ago, wished to say goodbye to the Institute and the city of Florence in this way: "I close my professional experience today and I am very proud of having headed such an institution that is an excellence both of the Armed Forces and the entire country. To the women and men, civilian and military, the core of the Institute, goes my heartfelt thanks. I will never forget all of you and especially those we tragically lost last week: Leonardo Sensitivi and Tiberio Ghelardini. IGMI will always be open for their families”.