On the picture Ambassador Elena Basile and EP Parliament Antonio Tajani.
Wednesday, 31 May 2017, Residence of the Italian Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium: HE Ambassador Elena Basile hosted a very well-attended reception to celebrate Italy’s Republic Day, which commemorates the institutional referendum held on 2 June 1946 which resulted in the establishment of today’s Italian Republic.
Ambassador Basile, who presented her credentials to the VII King of the Belgians on 16 May 2017, is the first woman Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium. Italy and Belgium hold excellent bilateral relations, also due to the common historical ties between the Belgian Royal House and the House of Savoy (Savoia). King Philippus’ mother is the Italian-born mother, Queen Paola (née Princess Ruffo di Calabria). Italy’s last Queen, Marie José, was a sister of then King Leopold III of the Belgians.
Many representatives of the political, diplomatic and entrepreneurial world attended the Festa della Reppublica in Brussels, among which the President of the Belgian Constitutional Court, Étienne De Groot as well as the Secretary General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dirk Achten. Guest of honour was President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, who addressed the audience. During her opening remarks Ambassador Basile also highlighted the merits of Milan to become the next seat for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) after it leaves London, and thanked the various Italian enterprises working in Belgium who sponsored the reception.
To conclude the most formal part of the National Day, the Italian anthem was sung by lyrical singer Chiara Giamboi.
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Pictures by the Embassy of Italy to Belgium (Marianna Bastianelli)
