The Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Marco Peronaci, concluded a visit to Chicago, Illinois, during which he accompanied Italy’s Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida.
On October 5th, Minister Lollobrigida and Ambassador Peronaci took part in the inauguration of Vinitaly USA, together with the President of the Italian Trade Agency, Matteo Zoppas; the Legal Adviser to Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Marco Rago; and the President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo. The delegation also attended an event in support of the candidature of Italian cuisine for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
“It was a great pleasure for me to be with Minister Lollobrigida at Vinitaly USA, which represents not only the main event dedicated to Italian wine in the United States but also a grand celebration of the excellence of our food and wine culture and our lifestyle,” said Ambassador Peronaci, who recalled “the strong support that the Embassy and Italy’s institutional network in the United States provide, under the guidance of Minister Tajani, to the Italian business community.”
Ambassador Peronaci’s mission to Chicago and Illinois placed a strong emphasis on economic issues, as the area is particularly significant for Italian business activities, especially in the agri-food sector. Peronaci visited the two Illinois production plants of Gruppo Rana and the Ferrero innovation, research, and development center in Chicago – two important Italian investments in the area.
Accompanied by the Consul General of Italy, Mario Bartoli, Ambassador Peronaci also met with the Italian and Italian-American community alongside NIAF President Robert Allegrini, as well as representatives of local associations and Chicago’s business, scientific, cultural, academic, and educational communities. The Ambassador also met with the staff of the Consulate General and the Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago, thanking them for their ongoing commitment in serving Italian citizens.
Yesterday, Ambassador Peronaci concluded his visit with a stop at Fermilab, one of the world’s leading particle physics laboratories, where a distinguished group of Italian scientists and researchers are active. Renamed in 1974 in honor of Italy’s Nobel Laureate Enrico Fermi, Fermilab maintains a well-established collaboration with Italian institutions such as the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN). In particular, the SQMS (Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems) Center, directed by the Italian Anna Grassellino, has important research projects with INFN in the field of quantum technologies, funded by Italy through resources provided under the most recent Italy-United States scientific and technological cooperation protocol.
