Italy-Brazil, Mattarella: excellent progress in our bilateral relations

President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter Laura, arrived at the Presidential Palace in Brasilia, the Planalto Palace, where he was received by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela. Lula welcomed Mattarella with a warm embrace. Mattarella and Lula will move to the Sala de audiencias of the palace for talks. Afterwards, press statements by the two presidents are scheduled. This will be followed by an official lunch at the Itamaraty Palace, home of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mattarella's visit to the Brazilian Congress, with talks with President Rodrigo Pacheco. The Italian Head of State will then move on to the exhibition of Italo-Brazilian artists 'Oltreoceano' (Beyond the Ocean), set up on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Italian immigration to Brazil. The last stop will be the meeting at the Italian Embassy with a representation of the Italian community and the greeting of the staff.

"It is a great satisfaction to be able to reciprocate the great hospitality with which I was received in Italy by President Mattarella last year. And also this year, on the occasion of the G7, I had the generous welcome of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni'. So said Brazilian Head of State, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in a meeting with the press together with President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Planalto Palace.

"I will travel to Porto Alegre tomorrow. To bear witness to Italy's closeness to the populations affected by the floods, which in recent months have caused numerous victims and extensive damage. I thank Lula for the words he used for Italy, our friendship can be seen in moments of special commitment'. So said the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in statements to the press after his conversation with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the presidential palace in Brasilia.

'President Mattarella is coming to Brazil for the first time at a particularly auspicious moment. This visit represents the culmination of 150 years of Italian immigration, which has forever united the trajectories of our countries'. This was said by the Brazilian Head of State, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in a meeting with the press together with President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Planalto Palace.

"Together with President Lula, we noted how the excellent trend of bilateral relations must be for our countries not only a reason for satisfaction for the goals achieved but above all a stimulus to further deepen cooperation, extending it to all areas of common interest". So said the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in statements to the press after his conversation with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the presidential palace in Brasilia. "This certainly applies to trade relations. Italian companies contribute to Brazil's economic growth, both in mature sectors and in more advanced fields with greater added value. A commitment, this of Italian companies, that we intend to support and encourage. I also wanted to emphasise the breadth of collaborations in the cultural field, an immense space in which historically initiatives of great importance have been born. There is a relationship of mutual attraction that is the result of the fascination that Brazilian culture exerts on us Italians and the Brazilian response to Italy's cultural offer. Just think, for example, of the deep friendship that was established between two protagonists of 20th century poetry: Vinicius de Moraes and Giuseppe Ungaretti. The Bossa Nova and Samba of which Vinicius was literally the world's ambassador were welcomed in Italy with great favour, influencing our musicians and inaugurating a season of fruitful artistic collaborations that still endures today'. 'Inter-academic dialogue, and dialogue in the field of science and cutting-edge technologies are also of great importance. Brazil represents a very important partner for Italy in many avant-garde sectors'.