Photo By Laura Kreider | Soldiers and their families learn about the communities around Vicenza at the 10th...... read more read more
VICENZA, Italy (Nov. 20, 2018) - For the 10th year in a row, more than 65 mayors from around Vicenza gathered at USAG Italy’s Caserma Ederle Nov. 14 to showcase their community hospitality to Soldiers, civilians and their families.
Mayors and representatives from 67 towns shared information about cultural events, festivals, maps, places to explore, and food and wine samples. No other measure but the smiles of the crowds are needed to prove “Meet the Mayors” remains the most anticipated event by the Vicenza Military Community and town representatives alike.
“The event was awesome. My family and I collected business cards of restaurants and festival flyers we were interested in from nearby provinces. We met our own district municipality members, tasted and observed all sorts of yummy treats that all the provinces were proud of including breads, cheeses, meats, croissants , cakes, jams , honey, wines, pickles, and so much more! We were already pretty excited to be living ‘la vida L’Italia’ and now we are even more excited,” said Annie Edwards in a Facebook post.
For elected officials from local towns the annual event has been a staple to their efforts to meet the more than 1,700 American families who rent homes in the surrounding area and are part of local neighborhoods.
"Meet the Mayors is an extraordinary opportunity to bring together the hundreds of American Soldiers and families with the territories that host them -- a mutual opportunity to overcome barriers and create relationships," said Elisa Santucci, Mayor of Monteviale.
Renzo Segato, Mayor of Quinto Vicentino, agrees. He welcomes the opportunity and is enthusiastic about participating in the annual event.
"I am convinced that initiatives such as Meet the Mayors offer local communities an excellent opportunity to make the U.S. community even more aware of the peculiarities and the beauties that our places, our products and our people offer -- strengthening even more the bond that has been shared between our communities for more than 70 years," Segato said.
For the past several years, tables with displays are set up in the Golden Lion Conference Center on Caserma Ederle to create a “trade show” event. There is never a shortage of samples of local products, typical wines and regional foods. Representatives also bring maps, brochures and pamphlets. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions about local activities and learn directly what makes each town special and worth the trip.
Looking back, the event that has become Meet the Mayors is unrecognizable from where it started.
“I was here nine years ago and it was not this big. It grew and it was held in other locations like the gym but the event out grew the other locations. This is the largest I’ve seen,” said Golden Lion Conference Center manager Raymond Raether.
Organized by the USAG Italy Public Affairs office, Media and Community Relations Officer Anna Ciccotti says there are two main ingredients that make this annual event such a success.
"The first relies on the enthusiasm and hospitality of the Italian mayors who take pride in coming and showcasing the amazing heritage of their towns and what they can offer to Americans, whether it's art, history, food, markets or festivals. The second is a genuine interest from Americans to explore and learn more about the local communities and they place they call home in Italy," said Ciccotti.
While the event provides a fun evening for the mayors and members of the Vicenza Military Community, Meet the Mayors is an investment in good community relations that pays dividends long after the event is over. The garrison relies on the local community to support the Army’s mission to project power, south of the Alps.
USAG Italy Garrison Commander Col. Erik M. Berdy said the event had a positive impact on him and his family as he was beginning his tour last year. This year was an opportunity to say thanks and see another group of newly arrived Soldier and civilian families enjoy it.
“The support and cooperation of the local communities is so important to the success of the Army's mission in Italy. Our ability to perform as a team to host this successful event sends a very positive message to the elected officials in attendance. The success of this event is reflective of how deep and strong the Italian-U.S. relationship is in our community,” said Berdy.
U.S. Army Africa and USAG Italy Host Nation Adviser Pete Brownfeld also sees the necessity of a successful and popular event, year after year, for both American and Italian communities.
"This is a great event to show the mutual respect between the U.S. and Italian communities. It is great to see so many Italian towns show up and demonstrate an interest in building closer ties with the American population. I am also confident that our Italian partners see the genuine interest that Americans living in Italy have in discovering more about the cuisine, culture, and other offerings of the territory in which they live."
(Karin J. Martinez also contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2018 07:04 |
| Story ID: | 300622 |
| Location: | VICENZA, IT |
| Web Views: | 270 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 10 Years Later: USAG Italy Mayors Program Still Going Strong, by James Brooks, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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