Italy, along with over 500 Italian residents in Kenya and a large number of foreign guests, including Kenyan authorities, diplomats, military personnel, and aid workers, celebrated the 79th anniversary of the Italian Republic in Nairobi. The celebrations were held at the residence of Italian Ambassador Roberto Natali and his wife Chiara in Nairobi.
The residence is one of the jewels owned by our country around the world, with a garden surrounded by lush greenery on the edge of the Karura Forest.
The gala evening for the June 2 celebration was organized in the residence's garden, under a large tent set up in case of rain (which did not fall) and by the pool, where a wood-fired oven for pizzas and focaccia had been set up some time in advance.
The evening was opened by the ambassador with a speech that touched on the theme of peace and the difficult historical period we are experiencing, as well as the growing cooperation between Italy and Kenya, particularly stimulated by the Mattei Plan for Africa, which has been in place for over a year now and has already launched projects based on the six fundamental pillars of its philosophy: education and training, agriculture, health, energy and water, and digital technology.
The floor was then given to the guest of honor, Deputy Foreign Minister Korir Sing'oei, who recalled the increasingly solid relations between the two countries, highlighting the importance of the Luigi Broglio Space Center project in Malindi, as well as the construction of dams in the north of the country and our development cooperation work in general.
After the speeches by the institutions, the evening continued with a tasting of many Italian specialties, including dairy products, cold cuts, and appetizers from Queen Deli, pizzas from Gourmet Master, and pastries and ice cream from Nonsologelato, all enhanced by the culinary creations of Italian chef and “ambassador of taste” Luca Mastromattei, now a familiar face and always generous with original delicacies.
Wines were also provided, thanks to donations from numerous companies and importers.
The soundtrack for the party was provided by musician Diego Misasi, a young ‘living jukebox’ armed with his guitar, who took the audience on a journey through Italian songs from the post-war period to the present day, from Fred Buscaglione to Lucio Corsi.
Below are the words and images from the Italian Republic Day celebrations in Nairobi.