Celebrations for the 216th anniversary of Latin America’s first “cry for freedom” were held in Sucre, the constitutional capital of Bolivia. On this occasion, the Italian Ambassador, Fabio Messineo, took part in a packed schedule of meetings aimed at enhancing various Italian and European cooperation initiatives.
On 23 May, at the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Justice, a cooperation project to combat organised crime was officially launched, with funding also provided by the IILA (Italian-Latin American International Organisation). In his opening remarks, Ambassador Messineo paid tribute to Giovanni Falcone on the 33rd anniversary of the Capaci massacre, highlighting his unwavering support for international cooperation as the most effective tool in tackling transnational criminal organisations.
Later, the Ambassador presented the Rector of San Francisco Xavier University – the oldest in the country – with the “Library of Honey”: a collection of 60 varieties of wildflower honey produced by a cooperative of 300 women from the region. These honeys were carefully analysed and classified by the University of Milan, both chemically and organoleptically.
The project, funded by Italian cooperation and carried out by the NGOs Aspem and CeVi, in collaboration with Slow Food and other local partners, has made it possible to establish a scientific archive of the region’s various honeys, with the aim of promoting their unique qualities and supporting the development of village economies where they are produced.
Finally, Ambassador Messineo, together with other European Union colleagues, visited the regional centre of the Bolivian Anti-Narcotics Police, whose new headquarters will be funded with EU resources, and a shelter run by the Municipality of Sucre, which—thanks to EU and UNODC funding—focuses on recovery and prevention of alcohol and drug addiction.
