A determined man, committed to the prosperity of the community of Sacile.
Mario Rossetti (San Vendemmiano 15.06.1920 – Sacile, 25.6.1981), at a very early age, at the untimely death of his father had to abandon his high school studies for employment in the then Savings Bank of Udine, carrying out tasks of high responsibility for several decades until his retirement.
In 1965 he entered for the first time the Council of Pro Sacile, under the chairmanship of Ernesto Toffano: a management that brought about a radical change in the programmatic activity of the Association, which was still strongly affected by narrow operational spaces and scarce economic resources. Cultural activities (already started with the exhibition of Luigi Nono) were developed, among which the exhibition of Romano Rui, that of Domenico Cantatore, the ancient weapons exhibition, as well as the concerts in the Duomo and at the Theatre. A dog show was organized as part of the Sagra dei Osei (Fair of the Birds) and the publication of the periodical Livenza.
In 1971 Mario Rossetti was elected president of the association Pro Sacile, immediately declaring that not only he wanted to strengthen the association facilities and systems, but above all that he wanted to give a strong role to the Association in the field of civil life, so that the Pro Sacile could be more and more autonomous in carrying on its activities. All this, of course, in collaboration with the Municipal Administration and the other city associations, such as the Philharmonic Society and the Piccolo Teatro of Sacile. To this end, Mario Rossetti directed his attention towards the strengthening of the Sagra dei Osei and the knowledge of the City of Sacile: two cornerstones on which he worked with the popularization, the propaganda, the art of illustration and the tourist guidebooks (his was the first brochure about the city), the rebirth of the newspaper Livenza, even taking care of the graphic aspects of the posters of the individual scheduled events. In defense of bird-catching, at that time an essential tool for the survival of the Sagra, the Pro Sacile adheres to the birth of the National Association of Fairs and Festivals of Gussago and of the Bird Catchers Group of Friuli, member of the National Association of Bird Catchers “Luigi Gasparotto” of Bergamo. President Rossetti will do much to help the birth of other bird fairs in other regions, opposing the suppression of the aucupio (practice of birds hunting by means of nets).
These first years of his management are also marked by the setting up of exhibitions and cultural activities, the children’s Carnival and an increase in visitors to the Sagra on which more and more attractions are built also in expectation of the Seven hundredth anniversary. Together with the Theatre Review of Pordenone, he promotes special conditions for subscriptions “so that the consciousness and that cultural sense that had dozed off because of the long absence of valid and qualified performances could take shape in Sacile again”.
The year 1973, that of the 700th Sagra dei Osei, realizes an endless series of activities in which all the city associations participate with their own specific event and to which the Pro Sacile has given its patronage.
For its part, the Pro Sacile carries out, among other things, the painting exhibition of Renato Guttuso, the National Horse Competition “City of Sacile”, the literary competition “Praise of the Birds”, the conference of the Association of Hunting Fairs and Festivals, a folkloristic event, the creation of a special trophy for the Sagra that meets with a record attendance of visitors. A massive propaganda campaign contributed to the success: 1,800 posters, 9,000 tourist brochures, 4,700 commemorative medals and 600 pieces of ceramics.
Mario Rossetti leaves the chairmanship of the Pro Sacile in October 1976, but will remain inside the Council for another term, also in view of the disaster caused by the earthquake.
However, his civic commitment will not fail because he will continue to commit himself to the community in the Parish Council and, in this capacity, he will work to ensure that the building of the parsonage owned by the municipality is donated to the parish which will then proceed with the restoration of the building.
The city has named the public garden in Ponte Lacchin Street after him.
