ITALY'S NATIONAL DAY ON 4 JUNE 2012

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

ITALY'S NATIONAL DAY AT RENAISSANCE GRAND BALLROOM IN KUALA LUMPUR
 

Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment who was Guest of Honour and represented the Malaysian Government with wife of Italian Ambassador Madame Nilou and the Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia His Excellency Mr Folco de Luca Gabrielli

 The Ambassador of Canada and the Ambassador of United States of America His Excellency Mr Paul Jones

 HE Mrs Gail Featherstone and the British High Commissioner of United Kingdom His Excellency Mr Simon Featherstone

Datin Catherine Jones the wife of the American ambassador and Mrs Gail Featherstone the wife of the British High Commissioner

Tan Seri Datuk Seri Dr Jason Goh and Puan Seri Pernille Goh

 Tan Seri Datuk Seri Dr Jason Goh, Monica Valiram, Princess Dr Becky Leogardo, Puan Sri Pernille Goh and Ashvin Valiram
 
Michael Mantz, HE Mrs Gail Featherstone, the British High Commissioner His Excellency Mr Simon Featherstone and Princess Dr Becky Leogardo


Ivan Ozarenov, the Russian Ambassador to Malaysia Her Excellency Liudmila Vorobieva and her husband Fedor Ozarenov


The Young and Beautiful; half Chinese half Swedish Christina Gunn-Lander and half Irish half Chinese Matthew Graham, brother of famous supermodel and actress Danielle Graham


THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA HIS EXCELLENCY MR FOLCO DE LUCA GABRIELLI AND MADAME NILOU HOSTED A GRAND RECEPTION AT THE BALLROOM OF RENAISSANCE HOTEL IN KUALA LUMPUR TO CELEBRATE THE 66TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE REPUBLIC OF ITALY.

Like all European nations, Italy was never colonised by any European or, God forbid, an Asian or African power. So its National Day is not to celebrate its independence from the yoke of a colonial master but to acknowledge its founding as a republic as before that Italy was for hundreds of years been fragmented into powerful city states ruled by specific rulers like the Doge of Venice for example.

Mind you, in a sense Italy was sort of colonised by fellow European powers as parts of it was under the control of Spain, Austria and France while the Pope ruled Rome like a personal kingdom. 

It was only in 1861 that the new Kingdom of Italy was established under King Victor Emanuel. in the 20th century, the Fascists took over under Benito Mussolini and Italy fell under a dictatorship. Italy joined the Axis powers in World War 2 and collapsed into civil war after a monarchist coup toppled Mussolini in 1943. Italy surrendered to the Allies forces in 1945 and in 1946 a national referendum was held to decide its destiny and form of government.


on 2 June 1946, the Italians voted for a republic and the monarchy was abolished. Italy hence became a republic and in the 50s and 60s, Italy prospered like never before, resulting in the so-called Italian Economic Miracle.

 2 June is now celebrated as Italy's National Day or Festa Della Repubblica. However, the Italian Embassy in Malaysia held the National Day 2 days later on 4 June 2012. Over 400 came to celebrate and of course there was plenty of pasta and pizza plus nonstop champagne. 


After all it is not everyday a nation turns 66 though Queen Elizabeth II is 2 decades older at 86. 

The students from Seri Cempaka International School sang NegaraKu and various songs

Princess Dr Becky Leogardo, Princess Arunrasmy the Cambodian ambassador to Malaysia and Michael Mantz

Michael Mantz, Princess Dr Becky Leogardo and the Ambassador of Italy His Excelelncy Mr Folco de Luca Gabrielli

Tan Seri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup, deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ambassador of Ecuador

This stunning couple are both over 6 ft tall; Nacha and Max Bellott

I thought she was an actress or model or celebrity as she towered over me

Datin Catherine Jones, wife of the American Ambassador and Mrs Gail Featherstone, wife of the British High Commissioner

Annie Ahn from Korea

Carlo Allaria, president of Malaysian Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mambo Ng, Treasurer of Malaysian Italian Chamber of Trade and Industry

Datin Ho Choy Meng, the Russian Ambassador HE Liudmila Vorobieva and Princess Dr Becky Leogardo

Mattia Romano from Italy and Fabiana Santa Rosa Melo from Brazil

The ambassadors of Canada and United States of America

Dato Frieda Pilus, founder of Cempaka Schools, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup, deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Madame Nilou, His Excellency Mr Folco de Luca Gabrielli and Dato Hamzah Majid

The Russian ambassador, her husband and stepson, Dato Ali Ghazzali, his wife and infant daughter Hawa who was the youngest guest

Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Jason Goh and Puan Sri Pernille Goh

Tan Seri Dr Jason Goh and Puan Seri Pernille Goh

Christina Gunn-Lander and Matthew Graham

Christina Gunn-Lander and Matthew Graham

Former Spanish ambassador Jose Ramon Baranano, Maria Teresa Santos Mayenco, Ana Baranano and Javier Feal Vazquez

Barbara Comacchio, Tommaso Bruzzese and Mei Lin Kan

Barbara Comacchio, Tommaso Bruzzese and Mei Lin Kan

Madame Nilou, wife of Italian ambassador, son Brando and Princess Dr Becky Leogardo

I got all 3 to smile for my Leica


BELOW ARE CAKES GIVEN TO THE ITALIAN EMBASSY