By Carlo Baldocci Ambassador of Italy to Kuwait

KUWAIT: It is with great pleasure that I address to you a brief message today, on the occasion of celebrating - the first time after the two-years period of COVID-19 pandemic - the 76th Anniversary of the National Day of the Italian Republic, A young and modern Republic with an ancient civilization and thousands of years of history.

Allow me to recall one of the great challenges that the world had to deal with two years ago; Italy was heavily hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In this regard, I cannot but thank the State of Kuwait once more for its solidarity and immediate aid and be impressed by what Your Country has always been doing in terms of solidarity and humanitarian aids around the world, and in particular for Italy during the initial tragedy that my Country went through, for the many victims of the pandemic.

With our Kuwaiti friends we share the same attitude in dealing with international threats and crises through dialogue and tolerance and in many occasions we have similar analysis and positions, which results in mutual understanding and in reinforcing day by day our excellent bilateral relations. In December 2021, both Countries celebrated 60 years of extraordinary friendship with a series of events in Kuwait: musical concerts, art and architectural exhibitions outlining the two nations' mutual cooperation and rich history of cross-fertilization and interaction.

This year we also started with a rich cultural agenda, with different programs and activities such as concerts, seminars, art, gastronomy and  events that keep bringing more of Italy to Kuwait, with the aim to make Kuwaitis enjoy what Italy is famous for worldwide, as well as discover different sectors where our Country has an international leading position. As you all know, Italy is a cultural mega-power!

In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to invite everybody to visit the Italian exhibitions that are currently going on: "DIVA, Italian Glamour in Fashion Jewelry" exhibition, curated by Professor Alba Cappellieri at Contemporary Art Platform (CAP), which will continue until June 18th and also "The Mystic Letters", a calligraphy exhibition by Antonella Leoni, at Dar Al-Funoon and will continue until June 23rd.

Europe is also an important part of our destiny; few weeks ago (May 9th) our Embassy participated in the Europe Day 2022, a one-day event organized by the EU delegation to Kuwait, in which EU Countries participated with booths presenting traditional aspects of their history. This event was a very important celebration, through which the participants showcased a variety of products to Kuwait friends.  From our side, we displayed various products that were appreciated by the visitors. The event was also enriched with the performances of two Italian musical bands, the "Trio Chagall" and "La Notte della Taranta" folkloristic band.

Lets also not forget the presence of a large number of Italian enterprises in the Emirate, which confirms the great potentials that the local market offers to our Country System. Italian Companies regularly participate with great success in tenders for major infrastructural projects.

The economic exchange between the two Countries is also in constant growth. Kuwaiti imports from Italy have more than doubled over the past decade and the Italian products are always received with great interest in Kuwait. Our Country in not known only for its valuable brands of fashion, furniture and for the highly appreciated food, but also for its exports to Kuwait of machineries and other mechanical and electromechanical equipment, and advanced technology.

Today, for better understanding the Country, we can proudly say that, among others, Italy is: *leader in the circular economy, with the highest recycling rate out of the total of special and urban waste; champion in efficiency to compete on green and quality: with a score of 268 points out of 300, Italy ranks first in Europe in terms of efficiency in employment of resources.

*The world's largest renewables operator is Italian:  Enel, with its subsidiary Green Power, is the largest private operator in the sector in the world of renewable. *The first in the world for the number of sites on the World Heritage list of UNESCO and it is also a leader in design. *The third in the world for specialization in space technologies and European leader in earth observation.

*Ranks first in Europe for the registered and protected  agricultural and food products linked to the territory. *The second in Europe for Italian mechanics and fourth in the world for export of machine tools. *The "Made in Italy" tiles are the first in the world for the export value. *The world leader in wood-furniture thanks to sustainability. *The world top for export of glasses.  Finally, I would like to conclude by thanking all of you, distinguished guests, for being here tonight and wish you a wonderful evening.