On the occasion of the Italian Heritage Month, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit welcomed a distinct delegation from Vacri (Abruzzo, Italy) for an official visit to Farmington, Michigan, marking a new chapter of the friendship between Italy and the Midwest.
The visit — organized by the Mayor of Farmington, Joe LaRussa — gave rise to a shared vision of cultural and economic collaboration between the two communities. During the stay, Mayor LaRussa and Mayor of Vacri, Piergiuseppe Mammarella signed an Agreement of Friendship and Gemellaggio, formally binding their municipalities in a partnership that celebrates Italian heritage and promotes future exchanges in the fields of tourism, business and education.
In the course of the program in Michigan, the delegation was received at the Consulate of Italy in Detroit, where the Consul Allegra Baistrocchi underlined the constant commitment of the Consulate to connect the Italian and American communities and to strengthen regional relations in the five States of competence of the See.
To commemorate this historic union, the Consulate invited the artist Marco Mazzei in Michigan on the occasion of the “Giornata del Contemporaneo”, the Italian national day dedicated to contemporary art. During his stay, Mazzei created a sculpture depicting a leaf, donated by the Consulate to the City of Farmington as a lasting symbol of friendship and renewal.
The leaf was chosen not only as a tribute to the logo of the City of Farmington, which represents a tree and symbolizes growth and community, but also to honor the project “Italea” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which encourages Italian Americans to rediscover their roots and the places of origin of their ancestors. This gesture celebrates the vibrant Italian-American community in Michigan and the lasting cultural links that unite Italy and the United States.
The Consulate also involved the Abruzzo Federation of Michigan, which proudly hosted a dinner in honor of the Vacri delegation. During the evening, the Consola Allegra Baistrocchi and the Mayor Piergiuseppe Mammarella each received a special recognition from the County of Macomb, a gesture that symbolizes gratitude and heritage shared between the local Italian-American community and their counterparts in Italy.
“Moments like these remind us how strong and significant our transatlantic ties are,” said the Allegra Baistrocchi consola. “Farmington and Vacri now share a friendship that celebrates our common values — communities, creativity and heritage — with a look to the future. ”
The Consulate expresses its gratitude to Mayor Joe LaRussa, Mayor Piergiuseppe Mammarella, the Abruzzo Federation of Michigan, the City of Farmington, the Municipality of Vacri, and to all partners who have made this exchange possible — an initiative that fully reflects the spirit of the Italian Heritage Month and the living bonds between Italy and Michigan.
L’articolo Strengthening links between Italy and Michigan with a delegation from Vacri (Abruzzo) visiting Farmington during the Italian Heritage Month proviene da IlNewyorkese.
