An inauguration ceremony has opened
the week dedicated to the Molise Region inside the Italy
Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.
The event was attended by Andrea Di Lucente, the Deputy Governor
of Molise and Economic Development Councillor, Ambassador Mario
Vattani, the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka,
Quintino Vincenzo Pallante, the President of the Regional
Council, and Angelo Primiani, a Regional Councillor.
The region will take centre stage during a series of events,
panels and performances organized over seven days, showcasing
its rich heritage to Japan, with an exhibition project that aims
to pay homage to the host country.
For this reason, the central part of the exhibition area
showcases a chair inspired by a Japanese Triskelion, a design
element that is very common in family crests and company logos,
in particular in the mitsudomoe symbol consisting of three
spirals swirling inside a circle.
Molise, after Valle d’Aosta, is Italy’s ” smallest region”,
recalled Di Lucente.
However, “we were convinced from the beginning that coming here
was an important occasion to try to promote our territory, our
companies, our traditions”, he noted.
Opening up to the world aims to “attract new energy, capitals
and entrepreneurial projects”, noted the deputy governor of the
region, highlighting the “commitment and passion” used to “build
a cultural bridge between Molise and Japan, two geographically
distant contexts” which are however “surprisingly similar”, he
said.
Exhibition niches inside the pavilion will showcase Molise’s
handcrafted products – a heritage representing a strong
connection with the past and with the region’s cultural identity
as it evolves and modernizes today.
Six niches will display the art of making bagpipes, copper
objects and lacework.
They will also display the history of the town of Jelsi and its
wheat festival, the traditional stone craft of Oratino and the
knives of Frosolone.
The week opened with the unveiling of the Venus of Venafro, a
Roman copy of a Hellenistic statue from the 2nd century AD, and
the presentation of a bell produced by the historic Marinelli
foundry, which was blessed by Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, a
Japanese Catholic cardinal and the Archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu
since August 15, 2023.
However, Molise won’t be in Osaka only to showcase its art,
culture and craftsmanship.
The institutional and entrepreneurial meeting ‘Investing in
Molise’ on Monday, July 7, will be dedicated to presenting the
region as an attractive territory for international investments.
On July 8, the seminar ‘Metals in Dialogue: Molise’s and Japan’s
Traditions between History and Innovation’ will showcase the
region’s ancient metallurgical tradition, documented by the
archaeological findings that are part of the collections of
local museums.
Many other events have been organized throughout the week.
Molise has “fully grasped” the spirit of the Italy Pavilion,
stressed the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka,
because it will also focus on “technology and great investment
opportunities” in the region.
The choice to showcase one region after another at Expo “is a
way to present this variety, this richness of our economy, which
is fundamental to showcase on an international stage like this
one”, added Vattani.
“I am convinced that the connection existing between our small
but important region and a population like Japan’s can bring
important reciprocal results because it is necessary to give and
to receive when we have the possibility of building a path
together”, stated Quintino Vincenzo Pallante, the President of
the Regional Council.
The inauguration of the week dedicated to Molise was also
attended by Girolamo Panzetta, an Italian television presenter
and actor who lives and works in Japan.
Born in the southern Campania region, Panzetta lived for nearly
four years in a small town in Molise.
The experience acquainted him “with Italy’s second-smallest
region” which is however “great because there is nature, the sea
– everything”, he said.
“Living there made me understand the people, the place, the
culture”, concluded Panzetta.
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