President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella made a surprise visit yesterday morning to the Palermo school “Edmondo De Amicis-Leonardo Da Vinci” at its headquarters on Via Serra di Falco in the Noce-Malaspina neighborhood. He spoke in particular with the children of 5 C, a multi-ethnic primary class, whose pupils were subjected to insults and racially motivated comments in October while participating in the “Io leggo perché” (“I read because”) initiative in downtown Palermo. Far from embarrassed by the presence of the distinguished guest (the visit was kept secret by school head Giovanna Genco), they asked the president some questions and handed him some gifts. A large tricolor stood out on the classroom blackboard. The children then escorted the president to the main hall where the orchestra of secondary school class children played two pieces by Giuseppe Verdi, the Gypsy Chorus from La Traviata and the - “Va, pensiero” from Nabucco. "Living together, dialoguing, makes one grow, I address a heartfelt thank you to your teachers. Teaching is a difficult but exhilarating endeavor," the President told the 300 or so children at the end of the meeting.