The Amerigo Vespucci makes a stop in Los Angeles

The Nave Amerigo Vespucci, the historic sailing ship and training vessel of the Italian Navy, has arrived in port in Los Angeles - after rounding Cape Horn for the first time - halfway through its year-long round-the-world voyage that will end in 2025. It will stop in the California city until 8 July and then depart for Honolulu.

The Italian Village, a 'Multi-Year Travelling World Exhibition' of Italian excellence, was set up in the port. The inaugural ceremony of the Italy Village was attended by the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto - who first wanted and supported the project - the Italian Ambassador, Mariangela Zappia, the Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Enrico Credendino, the Air Force Chief of Staff General Luca Goretti, Luca Andreoli, CEO of Difesa Servizi, the in-house company of the Ministry of Defence that implements and supports all phases of the initiative, Captain Giuseppe Lai, Commander of the Vespucci, authorities from the state of California and the city of Los Angeles.

An initiative that saw the involvement of many ministries and promotional bodies. "It is with great pride and just as much emotion that I greet, today, an enterprise that demonstrates how Italy is loved and appreciated all over the world. We have chosen Nave Vespucci to promote Made in Italy, with a project involving several ministries and strongly supported by the entire government. The Italy Village inaugurated for the Los Angeles stopover encompasses all Italian excellence, from technology to art, from music to culture. Excellences that in this long voyage around the world of the ship Vespucci will be a prestigious showcase of Made in Italy and a strong propeller for our economy and the image of Italy in the world that today travels driven by the sails of the Vespucci," said Minister Crosetto. "The Village is a travelling mini 'expo' that wants to celebrate and tell the excellence of our country, in which as many as 11 Ministries will participate, in a rare and synergic team game," said Andreoli, "and it is an exciting project because the Amerigo Vespucci is recognised worldwide as the most beautiful ship in the world to which we have united all Italian excellence.

The Vespucci started her "World Tour" in July 2023 from Genoa. In 11 months of sailing she has already reached 15 of the 31 countries she will visit, touching 18 of the more than 30 ports that will be reached. Tested in the Buenos Aires stop last March, the Village has grown and evolved into an international exhibition made in Italy. American citizens and the Italian community present will be able to visit the Vespucci, as well as watch the Frecce Tricolori fly past on three occasions, performances by the Carabinieri band, and also musicians from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala. There will also be exhibitions on design and gastronomic heritage, one dedicated to Italians abroad and Italian-descendants, and an exhibition on 23 ideas that have become innovative enterprises (including Deas, which is presenting Orion, a new AI-powered instrument)

There is also an area dedicated to telling the story of Italian infrastructures with the Mose in Venice and the Messina Strait Bridge project. A space will be dedicated to cinema - with screenings of successful Italian films - and for food, Italian cuisine is present in the Village with Eataly's Italian restaurant. After Los Angeles, Vespucci and the Village will be in Tokyo, Darwin in Australia, Singapore , Mumbai, Abu Dhabi , Doha in Qatar and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from 20 to 24 January 2025.