Italia Lives in Philadelphia During Year of Italian Culture

Dominique Johnson, for GPA -- Of the more than 30 Consulates in the City of Philadelphia, Italy has one of the oldest. Having had a longstanding relationship with Philadelphia, the first Italian Consulate was established in 1792.

“We have a very old relationship between Italy and Philadelphia its huge and very important,” Andrea Canepari, Consul General for the Italian Consulate, said. Beside duties that protect the rights of Italian citizens abroad in the United States, Canepari says: “We’re here to promote economic [interests] and culture between Italy and the Philadelphia region.”

According to their website, the Consulate provides assistance to all Italian citizens in cases of family research, request for information on the legal establishment, in the case of marriages with foreign citizens, as well as inheritance procedures initiated abroad.

Canepari added that the Consulate’s jurisdiction goes from Southern New Jersey to North Carolina.

“We organize a lot of cultural events and exhibitions, and cultural discussions which should benefit the people of Philadelphia...We will have a new concert on November 16 that will be at Temple University,” added Canepari.

The concert is part of the ongoing celebration of 2013 as the “Year of Italian Culture in the United States,” which, as the appellation suggests, is being recognized nationwide.

On November 16, Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple will host the World Youth Orchestra for a special, free performance open to the public. The 14 young musicians (7 Italians and 7 Americans) come from some of the most prestigious music schools in Italy and in the United States, including the Curtis Institute of Music.