L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano modern equipment, engines, and eco-sustainable solu- tions that have kept it at the forefront. Since 2007, the Amerigo Vespucci has been a UNICEF ship, and since 2021 it has carried the "UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustain- able Development" banner from UNESCO, marking sig- n i f i c a n t c o o p e r a t i o n i n h y d r o g r a p h y a n d m a r i n e environment preservation. Technology and innovation, design and sustainability, alongside contemporary art and the natural heritage of our country, were showcased here in Los Angeles — as they will be for the rest of the tour in the destinations — in the Villaggio Italia next to the Vespucci. This exhibition offered immersive experi- world. Along with the Minis- ter of Defense, it was an h o n o r t o w e l c o m e t h e Vespucci and inaugurate the first Villaggio Italia on this world tour. The stop in Los Angeles was a source of great pride for us and fitted per- fectly with the growth diplo- macy efforts of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that we are advancing in the United States with all the actors of the Sistema Italia. The Vespucci, with its nearly hundred-year history, exem- plifies a blend of tradition and innovation, qualities that Italy uniquely balances. Tra- dition and beauty are evident in the ship's design, in its sails, even in the hammocks where cadets sleep, just as they did in the past. Innova- tion is reflected in the ship's ences, inviting visitors to dis- cover the best of Italy. I n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 1 , you chose the West Coast for your first official visit after the major scare of COVID-19. At that time, reopening the borders was essential to reviving e c o n o m i c e x c h a n g e between the two coun- tries. Since then, much has fortunately changed, and relations between Italy and the USA have grown and strengthened. W e h a v e t u r n e d a n e w page, both in Italy and the United States, and our bond, a l w a y s v e r y s t r o n g , h a s reached a new level of quali- ty. In the past year alone, the Prime Minister has visited programs. During her visit to Los Angeles, where she inaugu- rated the Villaggio Italia and boarded the Vespucci—also honored by a flyover from the Frecce Tricolori—L'Ita- l o - A m e r i c a n o h a d t h e p r i v i l e g e o f i n t e r v i e w i n g Ambassador Zappia. A m b a s s a d o r , y o u returned to Los Angeles to celebrate the arrival of an Italian icon, the m a g n i f i c e n t A m e r i g o Vespucci, on its world tour promoting Made in Italy. This ship's history and beauty tell a story of Italy, but also highlight its technology and inno- vation. I couldn't miss the arrival of what the US Navy calls the most beautiful ship in the " W e a r e d e l i g h t e d t h a t t h e t r a i n i n g s h i p A m e r i g o V e s p u c c i a n d t h e Villaggio Italia have chosen Los Angeles, a hub in o n e o f t h e m o s t d y n a m i c areas in the United States and the world. Here, creativi- ty, entrepreneurship, culture, a n d i n n o v a t i o n f l o u r i s h , thanks in part to the contri- butions of many Italian tal- ents—qualities we proudly promote as 'Made in Italy.'" I t a l i a n A m b a s s a d o r t o Washington DC, Marian- gela Zappia, welcomed the arrival of this maritime jewel a few days after inaugurating the Italian Navy: Ocean Stories exhibition in collab- oration with the Italian Cul- tural Institute of Washington. Back in California, she met with the large Italian-Ameri- can community on the West Coast and visited a distin- guished production system: in 2023, trade between the Los Angeles area and Italy exceeded $4.3 billion ($5.6 billion for the whole of Cali- fornia), with a significant sur- plus for Italy. Major Italian groups and SMEs operate in Los Angeles across various s e c t o r s , f r o m r e n o w n e d brands in design, fashion, luxury cars, and agri-food to business accelerators and innovative entities in digital m a r k e t i n g , s u s t a i n a b l e mobility, film production, and life sciences. Alongside established col- laborations in culture, music, cinema, and visual arts, there is growing cooperation in the aerospace industry between Italian companies and US groups based in Los Angeles's "Space Beach," as well as aca- demic exchanges between Italian universities and local institutions. In San Francis- co, Innovit, the world's first Italian Innovation and Cul- t u r e H u b , s u p p o r t s t h e growth of Italian startups and companies in the Silicon Val- ley ecosystem through spe- cialized business acceleration SILVIA NITTOLI - BARBARA MINAFRA In conversation with Ambassador Mariangela Zappia: a L'Italo-Americano exclusive Italian Ambassador Mariangela Zappia with Admiral Andrea Gueglio (L) and US Admiral Karl Thomas (R) at the inauguration of the Ocean Stories exhibition by the Italian Navy that took place at the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, in anticipation of the arrival in LA of the Amerigo Vespucci (Photo courtesy of Antonella Ciancio) CONTINUED TO PAGE 32 LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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