Italy needs to strengthen its relations with South America, and Brazil is probably the best country to start with.

During the last few days, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Under-Secretary Mario Giro started a wide-ranging official mission to Brazil, a country he describes as "indispensable to Italy and on which South America pivots".

Under-Secretary Giro agenda includes meetings with local Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo administrators engaged in revitalising those metropolises, and meetings with Italian business persons and representatives of the Italian community.

The Italian representative is also expected to discuss a framework agreement with the Brazilian Communications Minister on collaboration between Poste Italiane and Correios. Further, his agenda includes important meeting focused on cultural cooperation. Indeed, cultural connections have already been relaunch thanks to the initiative "Momento Italia in Brazil" (or Italy at the World Cup). This event will be carried out during the soccer championship, and it is aimed to promote the cultural, scientific-technological, social and economic image of Italy.

According to Under-Secretary Giro, "Brazil's economic and social programmes, which have been pursued with continuity by a succession of governments, have fostered economic growth". Accordingly, Brazilian new dynamic society is offering more and more opportunities.

"It is Italy's wish to be able to seize the opportunities the new Brazil offers. In this phase, our reciprocal knowledge and innovation exchanges can become even more advantageous. Italy and Brazil have intense ties in many spheres, including business and research. Italian universities are much in demand in the Brazilian government's advanced education exchange programme. Our multi-utility businesses and local autonomies can offer interesting experiences in the management of cities", Giro commented.

Last but not least, Under-Secretary Giro will also be meeting with representatives of the Italian community of Sao Paolo and a group of important business persons of Italian descent. "There are tens of millions of business persons, intellectuals and political decision-makers of Italian origin, who are alert to our country's interests and potential mediators for a strengthened internationalization involving our two economies". Our commitment is the one of avoiding wasting their precious potential and support.

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