(by correspondent Domenico Palesse)
The 31st stage of the Amerigo Vespucci's world tour officially
began with the welcoming ceremony on the quayside of Abu Dhabi's
Zayed Port, the second in the Persian Gulf.
The "stop for loved ones", as Commander Giuseppe Lai called it,
because this time, in addition to the institutions, the crew of
the Navy training ship were also welcomed by the families of the
officers and sailors who have been sailing around the world for
17 months now.
"The Vespucci is carrying out a unique feat," said the commander
in chief of the naval team, Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, "it is
carrying a great message from Italy around the globe."
To the tune of the Guardia di Finanza and Abu Dhabi Navy bands,
the Emirates capital gave its personal welcome to the "most
beautiful ship in the world" in the presence of the admiral, as
well as the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Maria Tripodi,
the Italian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Lorenzo
Fanara, and Sheikh Ahmed Hamdan Al Nahyan, member of the royal
family and president of the Sailing and Rowing Federation.
Tomorrow, Saturday, the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, is
also expected in Abu Dhabi, who will attend the inauguration of
the Villaggio Italia, the traveling expo that accompanies the
world tour.
On Sunday, the President of the Chamber of Deputies (lower
house), Lorenzo Fontana, will come aboard.
Abu Dhabi is the second stop in the Persian Gulf for the Amerigo
Vespucci, in a particularly complicated historical and
geopolitical moment.
In the next few days, in fact, the training ship will cross the
Red Sea, an area considered at high risk especially because of
the Houthi attacks.
"We - said De Carolis - will organize ourselves to escort her
adequately. From my office in Rome I will take care of the
operational control of this activity. "The Strait of Bab
el-Mandeb is subjected to some threats that we have been dealing
with since the beginning of this year.
"Our crews escort the ships very effectively and keep open a
very important maritime communication route not only for the
Italian and European economy but for the entire region".
"The Vespucci," said Captain Lai, "is a messenger of peace.
"It has in its soul the founding values ;;of the Italian
Republic.
"We recognize ourselves in this, in the values ;;of the oath
that the cadets take when they enter the academy and that is
repeated in other forms in the training that is done on board
the Amerigo Vespucci".
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