On Monday, May 20th, the Italian Ambassador Marco Clemente, during a press conference attended not only by representatives of the Philippine’ media but also by sponsors and co-organizers, introduced the series of initiatives launched by the Embassy of Italy in Manila in celebration of the National Day of Italy 2024.
This series of initiatives are an ideal continuation of the Festival “The Embassy of Italy meets the Youth of Tondo”, (November 2023-July 2024) which were extensively covered by the Philippine media in the past months. Due to the success of the Festival in Tondo, the Embassy decided to follow the same pattern and to organize a similar array of events to celebrate the 78th anniversary of the Italian Republic. Not only, as usual, with a diplomatic reception, but with a real Festival of events of different nature.
The Italian National Day celebrates the date of the institutional referendum held on June 2nd 1946 that led to the establishment of the Italian Republic, cornerstone of Italian democracy. The purpose of this comprehensive program of events is not only to celebrate, together with the Filipino people, the Italian Republic and the Italian Nation, but also to establish a lasting legacy for future similar initiatives by his successors for the benefit of the local and expat community.
On the occasion, Ambassador Clemente extended his gratitude to the 43 sponsors and the 25 co-organizers of the nine events of the Festival “The Embassy of Italy meets the Youth of Tondo” and of the celebrations of the National Day of Italy 2024.
This is the complete list of the events:
25 May 2024:
10:00am: Opening of the Italian Food Festival (25-26 May 2024) at Ayala Triangle Gardens (free entry)
6:00pm: Screening of the movie “Gianni Schicchi: a live opera in Tondo” (free entry)
26 May 2024
3:00pm “The Young Puccini”: a concert devoted to Puccini Juvenilia with music never performed in the Philippines in the context of the commemoration of the centennial of Puccini’s death. Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University (by invitation only).
1 June 2024
6:30PM: Youth of Tondo Italian Talent Show in the context of the Festival “The Embassy of Italy meets the Youth of Tondo”. San Pablo Apostol Parish, 2279 Velasquez Street, Tondo (free entry)
3 June 2024
National Day Reception (by invitation only)
4 June 2024
7:00 P.M. (gates open at 5:00PM): “The Philippines-Italy Friendship Cup 2024”: a friendly 11 vs 11 football game between the Under 19 National team of the Philippines and a selection of different nationalities representing Italy. Rizal Memorial Stadium (free entry). Free tickets available on the platform “ticket2me.net” by clicking on the link https://ticket2me.net/175901.
7 June 2024
5.30pm: screening of the movie “Gianni Schicchi: a live opera in Tondo”. Greenbelt 3, Cinema 2 at 5:30 P.M. (free entry). Tickets available on the platform “ticket2me.net”.
8 June 2024
9am: Street Food Fiesta with the community of the Servants of Charity of Quezon City. Pinkian Road, Pasong Tamo, Tandang Sora, 1107 Quezon City. (free entry)
9 June 2024
8.00pm: Giacomo Puccini’s “Messa di Gloria” in the context of the commemoration of the centennial of Puccini’s death: musical performance and religious service. St. Agustin Church, General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila (free entry). For the first time in modern times, Puccini sacred music will be performed as part of a High Mass, as it was traditional in Puccini’s lifetime.