The fifth stage of the Vespucci and Villaggio Italia world tour has ended. In Mumbai, over 48,000 people visited the Villaggio Italia, of which over 19,000 boarded the ship. Fortely desired by the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, the five-day event confirms itself as a multidisciplinary platform for dialogue available to Italian institutions, businesses and excellence in the world.
Visiting the Villaggio Italia were the Minister of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso and the Undersecretary of Defense Matteo Perego of Cremnago, welcomed by the Italian Ambassador to India, Antonio Bartoli, by the Commander of the Navy Schools Admiral Antonio Natale and by CEO of Difesa Servizi, Luca Andreoli, for a series of productive meetings for Italy and for relations between the two countries.
During the day spent at Villaggio Italia, Minister Urso, together with the Indian Minister of Ports Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the “Italia Geniale” exhibition dedicated to Italian design, created by the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy and the Ministry of Defense in collaboration with ADI Design Museum.
The two ministers took part in a bilateral Italy-India meeting on board the Amerigo Vespucci ship, which represents the first direct consequence of the Italy-India Action Plan 2025/2029, signed last November 18 by the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
“The presence of the Amerigo Vespucci ship and the Villaggio Italia in Mumbai, visited in recent days by thousands of residents and tourists of all ages, represents an extraordinary opportunity to consolidate the ties between Italy and India. The renewed friendship and harmony between Prime Minister Meloni and Indian Prime Minister Modi, strengthened by the five bilateral meetings and the joint Action Plan, demonstrates that it is the right time for Italy and India to work together, guaranteeing full reliability and continuity of government between the two executives”, declared Urso who, after opening the conference dedicated to attracting foreign investments “Invest in Italy: Where Innovating is Tradition” organized by MIMIT, also met a delegation of Indian entrepreneurs exploring new opportunities for cooperation economical.
“In Mumbai, with the Vespucci ship and the Villaggio Italia, the best of Made in Italy is celebrated, an emblem of quality, innovation and creativity that has always characterized our country. This project is the result of the joint commitment of the Government, in particular the Defense Department, and the Country System and represents not only an extraordinary opportunity to promote Italy on a global scale, but also a unique opportunity to consolidate economic and cultural synergies, which encourage dialogue and cooperation beyond geographical borders, for a future of growth based on sustainability, innovation and security” declared Undersecretary Perego.
“It is with great emotion that we welcomed Nave Amerigo Vespucci to Mumbai. It’s the first time here for the most beautiful vessel in the world. But it is also the third visit in 18 months by our military ships to Indian ports. Proof of the importance we attach to the Indo-Pacific, to freedom of navigation, to cooperation with India. Vespucci is also a symbol of elegance, tradition and technology. In Villaggio Italia we share the best of our creativity with our Indian friends. And with them we discuss investments, space and the blue economy. It is an unprecedented season for the bilateral relationship. And the presence of the Minister of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso and the Undersecretary of Defense Matteo Perego of Cremnago represent an immediate follow-up”, commented the Italian Ambassador to India HE Antonio Bartoli.
Also in Mumbai was the presentation of the recognition of “Ambassadors of Quality” in support of the candidacy of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO intangible heritage site, for which the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry has chosen from the beginning the Vespucci World Tour.
“Another extraordinary achievement of the Vespucci tour, which began almost two years ago in La Spezia, represents a very profound source of pride for me. We knew that the most beautiful ship in the world would be able to tell the story of Italy to everyone. But it is only together with the Villaggio Italia, with all its excellences, that we have managed to share the best of it: the Italy of art, the Italy of culture, the Italy of food and wine, the Italy of technology and research science, the Italy of space and the blue economy, and this with great appreciation on a global level” declared Admiral Antonio Natale, Commander of the Navy Schools.
“The Villaggio Italia is a living and constantly evolving reality. It grows every day, becoming a symbol of exchange and meeting between different cultures. A meeting point for global dialogue, where curiosity and the desire for knowledge meet. It is the mirror of an Italy that continues to bring into play everything that makes it unique, to grow together” commented Luca Andreoli, CEO of Difesa Servizi, the in-house company of the Ministry of Defense that creates and supports all phases of the The initiative “the stop in the port of the economic-financial capital of India demonstrates that this is a country with a very young average age that wants to grow but is also attentive to what our traditions and our excellences represent. We saw the energy that this city releases in the participation not only of a general public but also of a public attentive to innovation who attended the conferences, especially the one on the blue and space economy, in a very active and participatory manner” he concluded.
In the last hours, in Rome, the Vespucci World Tour was awarded with the Ninetynine agency at the BEA (Best Event Awards), the most important national and international event (Bea World), which brings together the entire event industry, receiving recognition as “Best Event of public institutions”, also winning the “Grand Prix Iconic Award” as an iconic event of the year in Italy (award assigned to all those events that shine with their own light and value, not comparable to others, such as celebrations Olympics, world championships, global summit) and as the second best event in the world (BEA World – Grand Prix)
The contents published on the six social channels of the Tour Vespucci during the Mumbai stage (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X e YouTube) they obtained over 143 million views while there were over 21.5 million interactions generated all over the world by Internet users.
The Amerigo Vespucci ship and the Villaggio Italia continue their journey towards Doha and Abu Dhabi which promise to be full of important events and meetings.