Culture and Sports, Made in Italy and science, history and technology. Saturday, May 14 – from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm the Italian Embassy in Washington will become a window on Italy and present a full schedule of activities and initiatives as it opens its doors to the public, like the other Embassies of the European Union in Washington DC, to celebrate Europe Day. The program is offered in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington and a large number of partners, including cultural and scientific institutions, associations and companies, which will bring to life the theme chosen together with the other European countries: the Best of EU. About six thousand visitors annually visit the Italian diplomatic headquarters, designed by architect Piero Sartogo.
“This is an event which we hold particularly dear, not only because it allows us to bring Italy and the Embassy closer to the public, but also because it is a celebration of Europe” said the Ambassador of Italy to Washington, Armando Varricchio. “It is an opportunity to underline our pride as representatives of Italy, founding member of the European Union, and one which has always been among the strongest supporters of its core values. It is also a chance to highlight our uniqueness in a fun and informative manner, starting with our common roots.”
The day will be enlivened by world premieres, six repetitions of the “ICONS” dance show, a tribute to the artistic beauty of our country offered by The Washington School of Ballet and choreographed by Mimmo Miccolis. Other special guests will be Sara Cardin, the Italian Army karateka who last Sunday won the gold medal at the European Championships in Montpellier, and astronaut Roberto Vittori, one of the protagonists of space collaboration between Italy and the United States.
Installations by the ETT Solutions firm, from Genoa, will take visitors on a virtual 3D trip – “Digitaly Tour ” – so that they can admire some of the most famous Italian artistic masterpieces, while the auditorium of the Embassy will host a photo exhibition on the Italian archaeological mission in Yemen in memory of late Italian archaeologist Alessandro de Maigret. Both initiatives are part of “Protecting our Heritage”, the program sponsored by UNESCO and proposed by the Italian Presidency of the network of EU Cultural Institutes (EUNIC) in Washington to highlight the importance of protecting the cultural heritage of humanity.
Innovation and promotion of Made in Italy will also pay key roles on Saturday: from the “Racer 3” robot, created by Comau for the iconic Vespa’s first 70 years, to the showcasing of cars and motorcycles.
Younger visitors can practice their Italian, and knowledge of Italian culture, in workshops held by Casa Italiana, le Dive, the Italian Cultural Society and Italians in DC. Musical entertainment will be provided by “MusiChianti ” group.
There will, of course, be an opportunity to sample some Italian culinary delights: from “real” Neapolitan pizza, freshly prepared by skilled pizza makers, to ice cream and espresso offered by Lavazza and confectionery products offered by Ferrero.
The event is made possible by the many volunteers and the support of the following firms: Ferrero, Fiat Chrysler, Enel Green Power, Pirelli, B3, Bauli, Unione Italiana Vini, Beretta, Associazione Consorzi Vini Lombardi, Expert System, Bracco, IGT, Renexia, Lario Esco, Fincantieri, Amina Rubinacci, Piaggio, Finmeccanica, Astaldi, AS Roma and Boeing.
Italy will also play an important role in the simultaneous opening of the headquarters of the European Union Delegation in Washington. One of its star attractions – again as part of the Protecting our Heritage initiative – is the photo exhibition “War and Art – Destruction and Protection of Italian Cultural Heritage during World War I”, in collaboration with the Museum of the Risorgimento of Rome, which illustrates the commitment of Italians to protecting their cultural heritage during World War I.
