By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Acting Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Nigeria, Mr. Iacopo Foti, said Nigeria is a land of incredible diversity dynamic energy, and immense potential.
Amb Foti stated this during the commemoration of his country’s (Italian)79th democracy anniversary day “la Festa della Repubblica”, our National Day” recently in Abuja .
Speaking in his address, he said “To my fellow Italians, you are ambassadors of our culture, our values and our industrious spirit.
“Your dedication, your hard work, and your integration into the Nigerian Society are a source of great pride for our nation. Thank you for representing Italy so admirably
“As I always like to say,like Nigerians do, to all the Italians in Nigeria: “Well Done”.
He said, “You have brought to Nigeria ltalian food products, marbles and stones, design, fashion, advanced technology and know-how.
“You manufactured, built, cooked and contributed significantly to the dynamic changes this country went through over the course of 60 plus years of independence, and before that”.
He said “we are optimistic about the future of Italy-Nigeriarelations. There is so much more we can achieve together.
“We can deepen our economic partnerships, our scientific and technology collaboration and of course we can expand and intensify our cultural and academic exchanges”.
He reiterated that “Nigeria could be a cultural superpower through its art, books and films, as it is very much a leading light both in Africa and worldwide, while Italy is a world cultural superpower which now looks toward the African continent with renovate interest.
“We acknowledge the Nigerian appetite and demand for Italian culture, from fashion to design, from cinema to artistic tourism. Italy is home to the third largest worldwide Nigerian community abroad after United States and United Kingdom. “Italians appreciate the Nigerian people and their vibrant and diverse culture shaped by its numerous ethnic and religious groups”, he emphasized.
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