Italian Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Giorgio Silli carried out an official mission to Paris on 9 and 10 January to hold a series of meetings with institutional officials and with the Italian community.
Silli took part in the inauguration of a monument dedicated to Italian immigration to France in Nogent-sur-Marne, a municipality in the Paris hinterland having about a quarter of its population of Italian origin. There, he met with the parliamentarians of the France-Italy friendship group. In his speech, the Undersecretary stressed the deep bond between the two countries and recalled the importance of keeping alive the memory of Italian emigrants.
During the mission, Silli met with the Secretary General of the General Council of Italians abroad (CGIE), the President of the Comites in Paris and a representation of freshly emigrated Italian nationals. Silli also took part in the opening of the exhibition ‘Du Coeur a la Main: Dolce&Gabbana’, an event showcasing contemporary Italian fashion and creativity, together with the designers of the well-known Italian brand. Lastly, he visited the offices of the Consulate General of Italy in Paris for a meeting with the staff.
“During this visit to Paris I have experienced first-hand the effectiveness of our diplomatic-consular network in France and the appeal of Italian savoir-faire,” – said Silli, defining it as “a real soft power and one of the pillars of our Country”.
