Great enthusiasm of the Italian community in Venezuela, gathered at the headquarters of the Centro Italo Venezoelano in Caracas at the ceremony for the signing of the deed of incorporation of the “Italian Hospital in Venezuela” Foundation”. Those in attendance included Undersecretary Ricardo Merlo; Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of the Red Cross; representatives of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan; and the Apostolic Nuncio in Venezuela, Mons. Aldo Giordano. The Italian Hospital will use the facilities of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Caracas, and will provide its services to the Italian community and to Venezuelan society in general.
Strongly supported by Italy’s chargé d’affaires in Venezuela Placido Vigo, the initiative will see the active involvement of the Consulate General of Italy, the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, and the “Associacion Anticancerosa de Venezuela”.
“Our participation in this historic moment is both an emotion and a responsibility” said Undersecretary Merlo. “We want our compatriots in Venezuela to feel that we are attentive to the needs of this community and we stand ready to assist those who are less well-off”. Hundreds of Italians and Italian-Venezuelans filled the Centro Italo Venezolano for the event, during which the first spontaneous financial contributions from community members were received.