More than thirty thousand people attended the fourth edition of the Darwin Italian Festival, which took place on 11th May at Civic Park of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia. Throughout the day, the attendees enjoyed the vast gastronomic offer of traditional Italian dishes, cultural events, musical shows and artistic performances, including the spectacular San Sepolcro flag twirlers visiting Darwin especially from Italy. The Consulate of Italy in Brisbane and Comites Queensland and Northern Territory provided consular and first assistance information at their stand in the Festival.
Throughout the day, the main NT Authorities took the stage to address the audience: Her Honour the Administrator Vicky O’Halloran, Chief Minister Michael Gunner, Lord Mayor of the City of Darwin Kon Vatskalis. They all underlined the fundamental role of the Italian community for the development of the City and the Territory and praised Italian culture and traditions.
“These last few days in Darwin I got to know very interesting and dynamic place where Italy is strongly appreciated, thanks to the great reputation earned by a well-integrated historical community beautifully complemented by a younger very qualified immigration attracted by NT opportunities” said the Italian Consul in Brisbane Salvatore Napolitano, invited by Darwin Italian Festival Association to attend the Festival.
In his first official visit out of Brisbane since the start of his tenure on 7th January, Consul Napolitano also introduced himself to local Authorities and held several meetings aimed at increasing trade, business and community relations.
“It has been a very productive mission that generated concrete opportunities for our people, especially in the area of education, where a MoU for the promotion of teaching Italian in the schools of the Territory has been envisaged, as well as in police cooperation and security thanks to the contemporary presence in Darwin of the Director of Education office of the Embassy of Italy in Canberra, Anna Rita Tamponi, and the Police Attache of the Embassy, Coronel of Italian Police Mario Argenio. Italy acquired a wide expertise in law enforcement, countering organised crime and financial activities that can prove to be very interesting for NT authorities given the Territory position as a hub for trade and migratory flows, at very short distance from burgeoning South-East Asia”, continued the Consul, who, talking about very promising business opportunities for Italian companies in NT recalled ENI’s long-standing presence in the Northern Territory. The Italian state energy company, which has long been active in offshore exploration, production and supply of gas in the NT, is also building a photovoltaic power plant near Katherine, which, once completed, will be the largest in the country with an installed capacity of 33.7 MWp (Mega Watt peak), and will be equipped with an energy storage system composed of batteries and technologies also able to forecast weather conditions.
At the several gatherings with the community excellently organized by Italy’s Honorary Consul in Darwin, Carlo Randazzo, Consul Napolitano, together with the President of Comites Mariangela Stagnitti, expressed the support and appreciation of the Italian institutions to the Italians abroad, highlighting the measures implemented to facilitate consular services such as digitalization, apps for newcomers and the fingerprints scanner for the issuance of new passports held since last year by the Vice Honorary Consulate in Darwin. Napolitano also announced that more cultural and artistic events will be organised in the near future in the Northern Territory.
Console Napolitano, Her Honour the Administrator of the Northern Territory Vicky O’Halloran, Mrs. Diana Cekova, Honorary Consul of Italy in Darwin Carlo Randazzo
President of Darwin Italian Festival Ross Finocchiaro, Chief Minister of NorthernTerritory Michael Gunner, Consul Napolitano at the Festival
Consul Napolitano with Minister of Environment Eva Lawler at Parliament House
Carlo Randazzo, President of Comites Qld and Northern Territory Mariangela Stagnitti, Lord Mayor of Darwin Kon Vatskalis, CVonsul Napolitano, Director of Education Office of the Embassy of Italy in Canberra Anna Rita Tamponi, Poliche Attache of the Embassy of Italy in Canberra, Vice Questore della Polizia di Stato Mario Argenio
Poliche Attache of the Embassy of Italy in Canberra, Vice Questore della Polizia di Stato Mario Argenio, Deputy Police Commissioner Grant Nicholls, Consul Napolitano, Carlo Randazzo
