June 6, 2023
Ambassador Fanara presents the honours awarded by President Mattarella. Matteo Colombo: “a personal honour, but also a recognition for the work that the entire Italian community has done in this area so open and rich in opportunities”
by Ennio Bassi
More than 1,100 guests sanctioned with the force of numbers the joy of reunion of one of the most numerous, prosperous and active communities of Italians abroad in the world. Gathered in the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers hotel to celebrate Republic Day, this year the Italians outdid themselves, creating a party that for its participants and tone will remain for a long time in the memory of Emiratis and the international community living in this area of the world now accustomed to acting in the spotlight. Under the direction and guidance of Ambassador Lorenzo Fanara, who arrived last October from Tunis, the ceremony went off flawlessly, both in the institutional part and in the part of conferring the honours awarded by our Presidency of the Republic to Italians who have distinguished themselves for their work and success in the United Arab Emirates.
The evening for the celebration of our Republic Day opened with the institutional greetings: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, sent similar messages to the President of the Italian Republic and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Enthusiastic Ambassador Fanara commented: ‘Happy to celebrate Republic Day in the United Arab Emirates, we thank the authorities and friends, the representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Italian community, and all the sponsors for taking part in an evening dedicated to friendship between our countries.
Prominent international figures attended the event. Among them was Andrea Di Giuseppe, Fdi’s only parliamentary representative elected abroad. This Fdi representative, with a considerable business reputation in the Emirates, officially took part in a meeting with a member of the royal family. This meeting was intended to strengthen the relationship that had been started thanks to Giorgia Meloni, who had chosen the Gulf as her first international destination as premier.
Di Giuseppe confirmed the importance of this mission, stating: ‘I had an extremely positive conversation with Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Council. Al Nuaimi explained to our representative that ‘Italy has not only been removed from the blacklist, but has been included among the top ten countries in the world with which the Emirates will do business’. This fact is of considerable importance, ‘considering that the Emirates could also act as a hub for the Middle East and Africa’. The meeting was also attended by Emirati parliamentarian Meera Sulatan Al Suwaidi together with Fanara, Di Giuseppe and Al Nuaimi.
In the evening, Di Giuseppe was the guest of honour at a celebration organised by the embassy, during which he had the opportunity to meet another influential member of the government, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Social Development.
Another important aspect of the evening was the honours of the Italian Republic that Ambassador Fanara presented to those entrepreneurs who most distinguished themselves for their activities in the Emirates. Dr. Ing. Matteo Colombo and Dr. Visa Sala were conferred the title of Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, while Dr. Ernesto Damiani was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy.
The words of Matteo Colombo, a young and brilliant entrepreneur, who is also Vice-President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Abu Dhabi and who has been working in the Emirates for some time, were significant: “it is a personal honour to receive the title of Cavaliere della Repubblica conferred by our President of the Republic, but also a recognition for the work that the entire Italian community has carried out in this area, which is so open and rich in opportunities”.
(Associated Medias)- All rights reserved