The mayors of the two towns signed an agreement at the town hall in Casino, during a ceremony attended by five councillors and the clerks from each town, and around 80 Italians.
Authorities from Cassino who travelled to NSW for the event include: Mayor Giuseppe Golini Petrarcone; councillors Vincenzo Santoro, Gennaro Fiorentino, Dario Nicosia, Gianluca Panarello and Gianfranco Petrillo; manager Giovanni Lena; priest at the Abbey of Montecassino, Father Donato D’Epiro; Aida Panaccione Santoro; president of the Cassino Rotary Club, Vincenzo Ficco; Luciana Patini Ficco; vice-president of the Cassino Rotary Club, Francesco Patini; and Anna Matilde Castelli Patini.
Mayor of Casino, Senthil Vasan, said the affair marked an important milestone in the town’s history as the first time it entered into international relations.
Meanwhile, Petrarcone shared his town’s rich history with those present, including its ancient archaeological gems, its famous abbey and its advanced industrial and technological sectors.
The Abbey of Montecassino has been a cultural hub for centuries and has spread the word of Christianity across the world.
Both the abbey and the town have been destroyed many times throughout history, most recently in February and March of 1944, during World War II.
Like many times before, they’ve managed to rise from the dust and come back even better than before.
Both mayors promised to foster more frequent cultural exchanges and make way for initiatives in both the commercial and industrial sectors.
The delegate from Cassino has visited major local industries in recent days, including the abattoir and tannery of Casino, along with dairy farms and tea tree oil factories.
One of the most memorable moments was the visit to the New Italy Museum.
After lunch at Osteria Veneta, Petrarcone said words couldn’t describe how well the local Italian community had preserved and promoted its culture.
He added that New Italy was the perfect example of this.
The delegate from Cassino will spend a few days in Sydney before returning to Italy.
