Successful special edition of the Public Academy on Falcone and Borsellino

On Saturday, 16 September, a sold-out special edition of the Public Academy for the Judiciary took place at Forum Groningen. During the evening, we screened the film 'Falcone e Borsellino – Il fuoco della memoria'. The auditorium was filled with students, academics, police officers, magistrates, politicians, and other interested guests.

Following the screening, a panel discussion was held with Antonio Balsamo, criminal court judge and former president of the court in Palermo; Jeroen van Bruggen, criminal court judge at the Northern Netherlands Court; public prosecutor Debby Homans – who led the investigation into the last major Sicilian mafia boss, Paolo Guido – and Laura Peters. The discussion was chaired by Leonie Sinnema of Dagblad van het Noorden.

The central question of the evening was: What can the Netherlands learn from Italy’s fight against the mafia? The conversation offered valuable insights into the role of key witnesses, public support, and the resilience of the rule of law.

The presence of colleagues and friends of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino made the evening particularly special. They were touched by the warm welcome and the striking decoration of the venue, which included photo walls in memory of the anti-mafia heroes.

The event also had a serious side. Security personnel were present, as those involved in tackling organised crime – just as Falcone and Borsellino were in their time – continue to face threats. Among them was the Italian magistrate Paolo Guido.

The evening was a joint effort between the Public Prosecution Service, the Northern Netherlands Court, and Dagblad van het Noorden.