The rains that lashed on Friday hardly dampened the spirits of Bengalureans and Italians, who showed up for a reception celebrating the Italian National Day. The event marked the 80th anniversary of the 1946 referendum through which Italy became a republic on June 2.
The Consul-General of Italy in Bengaluru, Giandomenico Milano, finds it an exciting time to represent Italy in India. “PM Modi’s visit to Italy was a milestone in our bilateral relations. It means that Italy and India increasingly see each other as long-term partners in innovation, technology, defence, space, advanced manufacturing, culture, education, sustainability and connectivity. In this context, Bengaluru and South India are among the places where this partnership can most naturally and rapidly take shape through concrete projects, new investments and operational collaborations. We are here because we believe this is one of the places where the future of India is being built, and where Italy must be in the front row,” he effuses.
The event also emphasised the role of culture in strengthening bilateral ties and fostering an engaged, dialogic relationship between the nations.
“Culture is not an add-on or a decorative element of diplomacy, but one of our most powerful languages,” he shares, highlighting that culture allows one to speak to people directly and opens doors that politics and business alone cannot open.
A Choice That Rebuilt Italy
On June 2, 1946, Italians were called to make a fundamental choice. The country was emerging from a disastrous war that had left behind pain, destruction and poverty. Italy had to decide not only what form of government it wanted, but what kind of country it wanted to become. Amid anticipation, Italians chose democracy and freedom. “Eighty years later, we celebrate the Republic with pride, but also with gratitude to those who rebuilt Italy and to those who have made Italy what it is today,” Milano says. Notably, on June 2, 1946, Italian women voted in a national election for the first time in history.