Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Italian Consulate General celebrated the 71st anniversary of Italy's Republic Day at the Italian Club in Jeddah on Friday. The Festa della Repubblicain (Festival of the Republic) is celebrated on June 2 to commemorate the day when Italians voted to abolish monarchy in 1946. The Italian Consulate in Jeddah used the occasion to showcase its achievements. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Consul General Elisabetta Martini said, "We want to dedicate this night to two years of activities in Jeddah promoting culture, economic ties and commercial relations. We want to underline how much we managed to do with the new ambassador in office since last year to strengthen our ties especially with the new Kingdom's Vision 2030." Martini was assigned to Jeddah three years ago as the consul general. She added, "The first year, we dedicated the celebrations of the national holiday to our arts, which are part of the industry of our culture. For example, the Italian music, Italian fashion and the theater. Last year, we had a celebration that was dedicated to marriage in the Italian way. Thus we promoted Italy as a destination for wedding and as a country that produces wedding dresses. We also presented some of the history of Italy and the revolution of Italian women and brides. For this year, we want to underline the relations and whatever we have done so far in three years. This is because the ambassador of Italy in Riyadh and I in Jeddah tried our best to be as active as possible and showcase various activities." When asked if she felt that there was an Italian influence on the Saudi culture, she said, "Yes, of course. This is the reason we prepare such events. I have asked for the participation of the Italian-Saudi companies that are very active in the entertainment field. Entertainment is an industry and now Saudi Arabia is opening for the industry. There might be possibilities for cinemas, exhibitions and concerts. We want to be a part of it because Italy is a superpower of culture." At the end of the ceremony, the Italian Consulate honored the sponsors, which included Kab Holding, Tamer, Sharbatly, Carlo Gavazzi Arabia and many others.
