The point of the meeting was to assess the opportunities and strategic crossroads facing Italian businesses in the Asia-Pacific region.
Later that evening, the focus shifted to the elegant setting of the Royce Hotel Melbourne, where the Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne, in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne, hosted a reception attended by around 120 guests, including international delegates, members and key stakeholders.
Welcoming guests was Consul General Chiara Mauri, who highlighted the significance of the initiative.
“This is a moment of coordination and reflection for the network of Italian Chambers of Commerce in the Asia-Pacific,” she said, “But above all it’s an opportunity to strengthen the synergy between economic diplomacy, strategic vision and local authorities.”
She was joined by Italy’s Ambassador to Australia, Nicola Lener, who emphasised how “the Italian presence in Melbourne is so deeply intertwined with Australian identity” that any distinction between the two becomes almost superfluous.
Victorian State MP Daniela De Martino echoed the sentiment. “To speak of Italians as merely part of the city’s fabric is almost reductive,” she said.
From coffee culture to innovative entrepreneurship, De Martino noted, “The Italian contribution is a living thread woven through Melbourne’s history since the time of Captain Cook.”
