{"id":4493,"date":"2026-06-04T10:44:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T07:44:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/?p=4493"},"modified":"2026-06-04T10:55:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T07:55:24","slug":"italian-national-day-2026-speech-of-the-ambassador-of-italy-antonella-cavallari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/news\/dall_ambasciata\/2026\/06\/italian-national-day-2026-speech-of-the-ambassador-of-italy-antonella-cavallari\/","title":{"rendered":"ITALIAN NATIONAL DAY 2026 &#8211; SPEECH OF THE AMBASSADOR OF ITALY ANTONELLA CAVALLARI"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome everybody to our national day, it is a pleasure and an honour to <strong>greet and thank H.E. Constantinos Ioannou, Minister of Interior, in representation of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the other distinguished guests here with us tonight :<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Makis Keravnos, Minister of Finance<\/li>\n<li>Marinos Moushouttas, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance<\/li>\n<li>Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare<\/li>\n<li>Ambassador Filippa Karsera Christodoulides<\/li>\n<li>Maria Hadjisolomou Kombos, Spouse of the Foreign Minister<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is <strong>my first national holiday as Ambassador here in Cyprus.<\/strong> I remember four others \u2013 all wonderful \u2013 when I was here as the wife of the then Italian Ambassador, who is now standing beside me with our roles reversed: I would like to thank him for the unwavering support he has always given me and for his invaluable advice. Cyprus has changed since then, of course, just as the world around us has changed profoundly and rapidly, and I find that it has changed for the better. <strong>But the friendliness and human warmth of the Cypriot people have remained the same;<\/strong> we are delighted to have been reunited with so many friends, to whom I extend my warmest greetings. I arrive at a particularly intense and challenging time; I consider it a privilege and I am putting in all the necessary effort to tackle this demanding agenda in the best possible way. Let me take this opportunity to <strong>thank the Cypriot authorities, who are providing the Embassy with all the support we need <\/strong>to carry out our duties effectively during the numerous meetings scheduled under the current EU Presidency, <strong>a presidency conducted with great efficiency and professionalism, <\/strong>which is proceeding in the best possible way despite the crises that were certainly unforeseen at its outset: the Cypriot government has adapted to the crises with admirable skill and excellent results, syncharitiria!<\/p>\n<p>Today is a day of celebration, the most important one for us Italians \u2013 as Minister Tajani noted in his opening address \u2013 because today <strong>we commemorate and celebrate the values underpinning our Constitution,<\/strong> <strong>a heritage belonging to all Italian citizens,<\/strong> called upon to observe and defend it. A living legacy to be passed on to our children, just as the <strong>Collegio Terra Santa<\/strong> here in Nicosia does, a school that believes in the principles on which civil coexistence is founded and passes them on to its pupils, and it is precisely because of this feeling of appreciation and gratitude that I wanted the <strong>children of the Italian school to be present today to sing the national anthems<\/strong>. My heartfelt <strong>thanks to the school and the families:these are the pillars of a healthy society.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As Article 1 of the Italian Constitution states, Italy is a democratic <strong>Republic founded on labour. this means commitment, rights and duties, respect, justice and ethics.<\/strong> Everyone is called upon to play his part and to be accountable to the community. Today, <strong>we<\/strong> <strong>must ask ourselves<\/strong> <strong>whether we have done for our country what it deserves. I believe this is the meaning behind the celebration of every national day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In these difficult times for the world, <strong>Italy remains a country of peace and dialogue, a country without enemies, loved and respected.<\/strong> We are fortunate, but at the same time we are the architects of our own luck. Our Constitution, which today marks its <strong>80th anniversary,<\/strong> yet remains incredibly relevant, <strong>is one of the few in the world that explicitly provides, in Article 11, for the rejection of the war as a way of resolving disputes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We do not have vast natural resources<\/strong>, mines or oil&amp;gas fields, <strong>but we do have our wittiness and the beauty of our land<\/strong>: with these unlimited and really renewable resources, we have built our history and our place in the world. Today <strong>we are the second-largest manufacturing nation in Europe and rank fourth globally<\/strong>: <strong>40% of our GDP comes from exports, <\/strong>second only to China in terms of product diversification. We manufacture industrial machinery, our main export sector, enabling other countries to produce goods of the highest quality. <strong>We create beauty and dominate the luxury market;<\/strong> for example, we are the world\u2019s leading yacht manufacturer. <strong>\u2018Made in Italy\u2019 has become a synonym of beautiful and fine craftsmanship<\/strong>. We have the world\u2019s <strong>largest trade surplus in food products and hold many other records<\/strong>. It is only natural to <strong>feel a deep sense of pride<\/strong> in being a citizen of such special nation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis\u201d <strong>Italy is now closer to Cyprus than ever before<\/strong>: the high-level visits we have hosted in recent months are elevating our bilateral relations to the level of <strong>a deep, strategic and high-quality partnership. President Christodoulides paid a State visit to Rome in February<\/strong>; our <strong>Prime Minister Meloni<\/strong> came here in April for the EUCO and had planned to return for a bilateral visit in May, which, as you know, had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. <strong>Many ministers<\/strong> have come to Cyprus to take part in the EU\u2019s informal Councils, but have indeed taken the opportunity also to <strong>strengthen bilateral relations<\/strong> in their respective areas of competence. The presence here tonight of high level representatives of ministries such as Culture, Education, Labour and Social Cohesion is an evidence, as are the close ties with other ministers who were unable to join us tonight \u2013 Energy, Defence, Tourism, Justice and Migration, European Affairs, for example \u2013 with whom we have established fruitful relations, often during European engagements.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, our <strong>Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani<\/strong>, was here. On the sidelines of the Gymnich meeting, he made a point of meeting with business leaders and trade associations from both countries \u2013 many of whom are here this evening \u2013 alongside <strong>Vice-Minister Piki and Permanent Secretary of Defence Kountouris<\/strong>. This was no coincidence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In 2025, bilateral trade reached 1.29 billion euro<\/strong>, an increase of almost 7% compared to the previous year: we are the country\u2019s second-largest supplier, with a market share higher than that of other major European partners. This is a concrete sign of the significant <strong>potential of economic relations between Italy and Cyprus, particularly in the energy, agri-food and manufacturing sectors<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>There is, in fact, considerable scope for strengthening our cooperation <strong>in high-tech sectors such as the energy transition, cybersecurity and the application of AI across various industrial sectors<\/strong>. These sectors are at the heart of Italy\u2019s industrial agenda and we are keen to share our experience with our Cypriot partners: <strong>we are facing the same challenges<\/strong> and are consequently developing the industrial capabilities needed to address them.<\/p>\n<p>Italy ranks <strong>first in Europe for efficiency in the use of resources<\/strong>, an index that highlights the <strong>ability to produce goods whilst reducing the use of raw materials, water and energy, as well as the intensity of GHG emissions<\/strong>. Italy is also the European country with the highest recycling rate for total special and municipal waste: thanks to the use of secondary materials in place of raw materials, 23 million tonnes of oil equivalent and 63 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent are avoided in Italy every year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The energy sector is one of the pillars of bilateral cooperation.<\/strong> A number of Italian companies are already operating on the island and stand ready to contribute further to Cyprus\u2019s energy transition, which has become even more crucial in light of the crisis in the region and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. <strong>ENI\u2019s significant investments in Cyprus <\/strong>and the agreements signed with Cyprus and Egypt represent a concrete step towards the creation of <strong>a gas hub in the eastern Mediterranean<\/strong>, in which Cyprus plays a key role.\u00a0 The Italian company Enel is the world\u2019s largest private operator in the renewable energy sector; I hope it can also become involved in this country.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Italy is strongly committed to strengthening the Eastern Mediterranean region as an energy hub<\/strong>, not least with a view to ensuring Europe\u2019s strategic autonomy. In this context, new interconnections such as the <strong>BlueMed cable<\/strong>, promoted by the Italian company <strong>Sparkle<\/strong>, which will contribute to the security and connectivity of the Mediterranean region, are of paramount importance. <strong>We strongly support Cyprus\u2019s interest in participating in the<\/strong> <strong>IMEC corridor<\/strong>, a multimodal interconnection project to link India to Europe, and its efforts to support this important multilateral platform through the <strong>promotion of the Friends of IMEC Group.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Italy is ready to develop even closer cooperation with Cyprus in the <strong>defence and security sectors<\/strong>, including at an industrial level. The <strong>presence of various Italian Navy frigates<\/strong> that have taken turns over recent months to protect the island \u2013 the latest of which, the Marceglia, I visited a few days ago in Limassol \u2013 is concrete evidence of this commitment. Italian companies are ready to collaborate with the Cypriot authorities to develop advanced control and surveillance capabilities across all domains, including the underwater domain.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, among the innovative areas of cooperation that we hope to strengthen, I would like to mention <strong>space cooperation,<\/strong> which is fundamental to virtually every sector, from security to agriculture, from environmental protection to land management: thanks to satellite monitoring and Earth observation data \u2013 fields in which Italy is a leader \u2013 we can achieve tremendous results.<\/p>\n<p>And speaking of economic relations, I would like to point out that the <strong>hoped-for resolution of the<\/strong> <strong>Cyprus issue<\/strong> \u2013 a moment I very much hope to witness during my term of office \u2013 will have, in addition to <strong>fundamental political consequences, significant economic repercussions not only for the island but for the whole of Europe. <\/strong>I am convinced \u2013 and I have had various opportunities to share this view \u2013 that the <strong>Cyprus issue is also a European issue<\/strong> and that the costs \u2013 both political and economic \u2013 of a failure to find a solution will, to some extent, fall upon all of us. <strong>Cyprus is an EU Member State; its entire territory is European territory; all Cypriots are European citizens<\/strong>. <strong>I have confidence in the UN mediation<\/strong>, pursued with admirable determination and perseverance, and <strong>I truly hope that we can achieve the goal of a united, strong and prosperous Cyprus:<\/strong> an example of stability and of the victory of dialogue and diplomacy for the entire troubled region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Dear all, as I bring this speech to a close, allow me to say a <strong>few heartfelt and special words of thanks to the entire Embassy team:<\/strong> since my arrival, given the new and unexpected demands as well as my own working style \u2013 Minister Tajani described me as \u2018a force of nature\u2019 at the Business Forum \u2013 I have required them to step up the pace and volume of their work considerably. My heartfelt thanks and congratulations to all of you, starting with my Deputy Chiara and Francesca and Jonathan, who have organised this event so wonderfully.<\/p>\n<p>My warm thanks also go to our sponsors: <strong>to ENI, <\/strong>outstandingly represented here by Antonio Renzulli, for its customary contribution; to <strong>Vassos Eliades<\/strong> for the prosecco and ice cream; to <strong>Photos Photiades<\/strong> for the excellent Campari Bar; and to the <strong>Papaellinas Group<\/strong> for the pasta and pizza ingredients. Finally, thank you to the <strong>Umbria Ensemble,<\/strong> who will be treating us to some famous soundtracks from unforgettable movies, and to <strong>DJ Davide Lazzarin,<\/strong> who, after the official part, will be entertaining us with a lively selection of Italian music.\u00a0 Now please enjoy the party, without forgetting to watch our videos and \u2013 though this won\u2019t be difficult \u2013 to savour the handmade pasta by Mrs Lucia Grasso, the pizzas from Honest Crust, and the porchetta and focaccia from Bar Italia.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome everybody to our national day, it is a pleasure and an honour to greet and thank H.E. Constantinos Ioannou, Minister of Interior, in representation of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the other distinguished guests here with us tonight : Makis Keravnos, Minister of Finance Marinos Moushouttas, Minister of Labour [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4493"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4495,"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4493\/revisions\/4495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ambnicosia.esteri.it\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}