The Consul General of Italy in Montreal, Marco Riccardo Rusconi, has recently visited Halifax where he met the leaders of the Italian Canadian Cultural Association (ICCA) and the Mayor of the city, Mike Savage.
Halifax, together with Nova Scotia of which it is the capital, is the land of residence of almost 500 Italians as well as some thousands of Italian-Canadians. The port of Halifax, and specifically the historic “Pier 21”, was the landing point for hundreds of thousands of Italians who emigrated to Canada in the last century.
The Consul General, accompanied by the Honorary Consul Marilisa Benigno, visited the modern ICCA building. The association represents a hub for community gathering and a very active center for disseminating Italian culture thanks to the dynamism of its president, Robert Berard, and the numerous volunteers and collaborators. The “heart” of the association are the language courses, which under the direction of Nancy Spina and thanks to financial support from the Consulate General of Italy in Montreal, reach about 250 students, especially children and adolescents.
The Consul General then had a very fruitful meeting with the Mayor of Halifax, Michael Savage. The First Citizen claimed that the Italians of Halifax have contributed a lot to the growth of the city. Indeed, Halifax continues to look at Italy, its ports, its maritime skills and innovation to establish new partnerships on common projects.
Finally, the Consul General visited the “Pier 21” museum, where Italian emigration is the main focus.
