Celebrating Philadelphia's Italian links

Andrea Canepari wishes that more people knew that Italy's No. 1 export is machinery - not food, as he said many seem to believe.

Canepari is Italy's consul general in Philadelphia. Since taking office in August 2013, he has been working to establish trade relationships between Italy and the Philadelphia region, an effort that has led to a monthlong series of events in October called Ciao Philadelphia.

Canepari wanted to establish a showcase for years to come of the influence of Italian craftsmanship and innovation in America. Ciao Philadelphia's inaugural edition will feature more than 30 events celebrating Italian culture. Beginning with a City Hall ceremony at noon Wednesday, with Mayor Nutter and Councilman Mark Squilla scheduled to speak, the lineup will include film screenings, architectural tours, art exhibits, lectures on Italian culture and technology, concerts, and a "Natural Italian Dinner" on Oct. 9.

Events focused on the innovation of Italian manufacturing will span the historical to the modern, from "Men of Cloth: Three Master Tailors. A Vanishing Craft" Thursday to a symposium on wireless technologies Oct. 8, both at Drexel University.

"I saw that we should do more and at a more sophisticated level, bringing together everybody and also the university system, which is key in this part of the region," Canepari said. "I do think we can do even more to create a better partnership to stimulate investment, trade, and so on, and try to grab some opportunities for the sector of the future - biotech, energy and so on - where Italy and its partners in the U.S. are very involved."

Canepari said it was important to him to honor the interests of Italians, Italian Americans, and "friends of Italy" by offering varied events, particularly since Philadelphia has one of the "largest and most accomplished Italian American communities." He said he was pleased by the community's reception of Ciao Philadelphia, particularly by top professionals and universities, namely Drexel, Temple University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Ciao Philadelphia also has attracted enthusiastic sponsorship.

Joseph Jacovini, chairman of the executive committee of the law firm Dilworth Paxson, called Canepari a "breath of fresh air" and said the consul general's vision for strengthening trade relations made it natural for his company to become a corporate partner of Ciao Philadelphia.

"What Ciao Philadelphia does is showcase the talent and culture of some people who trace some of their bloodlines back to Italy, as I do," Jacovini said. "By showcasing culture and talent, hopefully relationships will develop that lead to trade and commerce and those sorts of things."

Cultural exchanges like Ciao Philadelphia help Philadelphia to be considered a "big-league city," Jacovini added.

Nick DeBenedictis, CEO of Aqua America, said his company's corporate partnership with Ciao Philadelphia was motivated by Canepari's emphasis on networking, since "if a small company opens up trade with Italy, it'll help the economy, which will help us."

"Everybody likes Italy, so let's give them a chance to be Italian for a time," Canepari said. "It's an Italian and European idea to have these cultural festivals; I don't know if there are so many in the U.S. But I think Philadelphia is a sophisticated city, so I think people will understand it."