The Italian community on the French Riviera celebrates the National Day (Festa della Repubblica) on June 2nd, the day of the proclamation of the republic in 1946.
For protocol reasons (the Monegasque community organized its reception at the Embassy yesterday), the Consulate General of Nice has moved its festivities to this Sunday.
It will be at the Citadel of Villefranche-sur-Mer, a historic site that recalls the presence of the House of Savoy in the County of Nice, that Mr. Luciano Barillaro, Consul General, will welcome his guests, local authorities and members of the Italian community residing in Nice and its region.
Mr. Christian Estrosi, President of Nice Métropole, has confirmed his presence along with many elected officials.
9,000 Italians reside in Nice and approximately 25,000 live in the consular district that includes the departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Hautes-Alpes, and Alpes de Haute-Provence. However, it is estimated that almost 70,000 Italians stay more or less regularly in the French Riviera region.
Naturally, it is quite unnecessary to recall the links between Nice and Italy, as the population of Nice is largely composed of immigrants of Italian origin, particularly from neighboring Piedmont.
The buffet will be prepared and served by students from the Lycée Hôtelier of Serramazzoni, in the department of Modena, an area particularly affected by last week’s earthquake.
How can one not see a symbol in the presence of these young people despite adversity?
The purpose of Mr. Luciano Barillaro, Consul General of Italy: ‘It is our national holiday, and we want to celebrate it despite the serious situation in certain areas of the country. I want to emphasize the historical ties between the Italian community and the people of Nice and the French Riviera. In Europe, which has some difficulty in uniting, it is good to start from what binds us to lay the foundation for increasingly strong ties.’
