Sergio Mattarella commemorates Willy Monteiro Duarte

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has commemorated the fifth anniversary of the death of Willy Monteiro Duarte, a 21-year-old who was killed following a brutal beating in Colleferro in 2020. During a meeting with Duarte’s mother, Lucia, and sister, Milena, Mattarella condemned the senseless violence, describing the young man as an ‘exemplary Italian’ who died while attempting to defend a friend and prevent a brawl.

Mattarella emphasized that violence is a sign of weakness rather than strength, citing Benedetto Croce and Martin Luther King Jr. to highlight the devastating social impact of such aggression. The commemoration included the participation of Duarte’s former schoolmates and institutional representatives.

To honor his memory, a film titled ‘40 secondi’ (40 Seconds), directed by Vincenzo Alfieri and produced by Eagle Pictures, is scheduled for release in Italian theaters on November 20, 2025. Inspired by Federica Angeli’s book, ‘La luce del coraggio e il buio della violenza’, the film reconstructs the 24 hours leading up to the incident and the brief, violent encounter that led to Duarte’s death.