The lead-up to Italian Republic Day celebrations in the Illawarra has included a visit from the country’s Ambassador to Australia.
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Italy’s Ambassador to Australia Pier Francesco Zazo visited the Illawarra on Friday and Saturday.
The ambassador’s trip to the region included attending the ItSoWel (Italian Social Welfare Organisation of Wollongong) Gala at Centro CBD, and visiting the Fraternity Club, Fairy Meadow.
“I wanted to come here earlier, because we do have a huge Italian community here,” Mr Zazo said.
“The figures are quite high compared to the whole of Australia, because I’ve heard that ten per cent of the whole population of Wollongong has an Italian background, while in the rest of Australia it’s more or less five per cent.
“(Overall) I think it’s more or less in line with the rest of the Italian community all over Australia. It’s a well-integrated, respected community, although they’re facing some problems as an ageing community.”
Mr Zazo’s four-year tenure as Ambassador to Australia will conclude in October.
Luca Ferrari, honourary vice-consul of Italy for Wollongong accompanied the ambassador to the Fraternity Club to meet with members of the Italian community.
“I thought it would have been appropriate for the ambassador to visit this icon of the Italian community, and to meet the board of directors as well as some representatives of the Italo-Australian associations active in the Illawarra,” Mr Ferrari said.
“The occasion is that on June 2 we’re celebrating Italian Republic Day, so all these celebrations are leading towards June 2.”
Mr Ferrari said a visit to the region from the Italian ambassador was rare.
“Since I’ve been on the vice-consul of Italy, which is the past eight years, this is the first time that we’ve had the Italian ambassador in Wollongong,” he said.
Mr Ferrari said the Italian community in the Illawarra remained strong.
“Number-wise we are probably 37,000 second and third generation, and first generation is probably still around three thousand,” he said. “The numbers are declining because the Italian community is ageing, but they’re from first generation, whereas the second and third are growing. So the presence of the Italian community in Wollongong is very strong in many aspects; from the political perspective, educational, commercial and business-wise.”
