As we watch 2013 edge to a close, let’s take a look back at the outstanding events that brought many dimensions of Italy’s rich culture to the Bay as part of the 2013 Year of Italian Culture. We’ve been truly graced to have such a delightful schedule of engagements and I offer my heartfelt thanks to all who made them possible. Let us build on this cherished momentum into 2014!
In January, we were honored to have Pinocchio, Italy’s beloved puppet, come to life again in San Francisco in the form of Pinocchio - A Puppets Story. Owing to the tale’s universal morality, Pinocchio is a piece of world heritage and San Franciscans raved about this sensitive rendering choreographed by Massimiliano Finazzer Flory and accompanied by the dancing of Michela Lucenti and Emanuela Serra.
In February, Bay Area residents were wowed as Giovanni Soldini and his intrepid crew – Guido, Michele, Seb, Carlos, Ryan, Boris, Corrodo and Tiger – cruised into San Francisco Bay, having departed New York and circumnavigated all of the Americas in 47 days, 42 minutes and 29 seconds, nearly 10 days faster than the previous record. This monumental sailing achievement was celebrated the world over and we were honored to host Soldini and his crew for a celebration reception at the Consulate.
In March, the Year of Italian Culture turned towards tech and celebrated Italy’s important innovations and bright future. At Italy Tech Week, Italy’s startups in the Bay were showcased at Italian Innovation Day at the Computer Science Museum in Mountainview. This same museum also carried an exhibition entitled Sexy before Apple: The Italian Experience in Silicon Valley, which detailed Italy’s important contributions to tech, including the invention of the microprocessor by Federico Faggin. Notable Italian technologists such as Federico Rampini paid us a visit here in the Bay and the papers in Italy also took notice.
Italy also stood out in March for its strong cleantech credentials and was the protagonist of the SF Cleantech forum. We were proud to show off Italy’s prowess in clean, renewable energy such as wind, photo voltaic and concentrated solar power as well as leading in the development and implementation of sustainable building standards. We were proud to host an event at the Consulate with energy leaders to discuss how the Solar Revolution in Italy can inspire further solar development in California.