No. 22 MARCH 2003 ITALY MARKS MEMORIAL DAY Italian Deputy Minister he Day of Remembrance, unanimously T approved by the Italian parliament and for the Economy visits voted into law some three years ago, is held annually on January 27th in commemoration Israel of the date of the liberation of Auschwitz Discussions focused on fostering greater In a message to cooperation on Health issues and the fight Prof. Amos against Thalassemia Luzzatto, President of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi stated: "We have an obligation to teach our children to remember the past, to keep alive the conscience of the Holocaust, so as not to deprive them of the moral heritage that Ciampi on the occasion of his visit to Yad Vashem represents historical continuity." on October 12th 1999: "The Holocaust is an integral Italian Deputy Minister Mario Baldassarri (right) with In Israel, Ambassador Giulio Terzi, accompanied part of our memory: that is a fact, and it must remain Shimon Peres by members of the Embassy and the Italian Defense so for coming generations; Italy does not and will Attaché, laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust not forget." n fulfillment of the agreements signed last I October in Rome between Italian Health Memorial. Ambassador Terzi said that the Throughout Italy the Holocaust Memorial Day was Minister Girolamo Sirchia and his Israeli establishment of the Day of Remembrance is a marked with a series of ceremonies and a pledge counterpart Nissim Dahan, a delegation of medical commitment to oppose every form of anti-Semitism, to create a National Holocaust Museum to honor and health professionals from Italy, led by Deputy racialism and discrimination. Furthermore, Shoah victims and "to preserve in the nation's Minister for the Economy Prof. Mario Baldassarri, continued the Ambassador, Israel recognizes the memory the drama of racial (cont. p. 2) recently visited Israel. The aim of the trip was to importance and relevance of the words of President persecution and the Holocaust". encourage further development of the Thalassemia Project, and to deepen bilateral cooperation in the medical and health sectors. Meetings between Israeli and Italian medical officials were described as Gala Charity Evening of Italian Fashion: extremely positive, underlined by ongoing cooperation in the fields of scientific research, tele- Designer Egon von Furstenberg in Israel medicine and the management (cont. p. 2) of emergency situations. mbassador Giulio Terzi and Italian Cultural Institute A sponsor unique haute-couture benefit gala, a salute to Israel and the Yad B'Yad Organization from the world Charity Evening at Italian of Italian high fashion Hospital in Nazareth Coinciding with International Women's Day, the Italian n February 1st a charity evening was held in Embassy will host a charity gala fashion show on March 8th O Nazareth, organized by the Holy Family 2003 by designer Prince Egon von Furstenberg, who will Hospital (Sacra Famiglia Fatebenefratelli), to raise present a retrospective of his favorite creations as well as funds for a new emergency wing. his Spring-Summer 2003 collection and wedding gowns. Among the over 500 participants at The event is dedicated to the Yad the event were the b'Yad (Hand in Hand) Bishop of Organization. For a number of Nazareth, Mons. years the Embassy has been Giacinto Boulos closely following the work of Yad Marcuzzo, The B'Yad (cont. p. 2) Mayor of Nazareth Ramez Jaraisy , Italian Fashion Gala 2003 the Italian Ambassador to Israel, Giulio Terzi, and Professor Moshe Rekhav. The Italian government is Saturday, March 8th 2003, at 8.30 pm promoting collaborative projects not only between Italian and Israeli hospitals, but also in order to augment Hotel David Intercontinental, Tel Aviv its network of Italian hospitals abroad. Egon Furstenberg www.fatebenefratelli.it/hfh <> 1 Gala Charity Evening of Italian Fashion: Designer Egon von Furstenberg in Israel Edited by: (cont. from p. 1) and its President, Shelly Hoshen, who has developed close ties with Italian institutions and The Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv personalities. At the urging of Ambassador Terzi, the Italy Marks Memorial Day p.1-2 celebrated designer agreed to donate an evening of Deputy Minister Mario Baldassarri in Israel p.1-2 haute couture in celebration of Yad B'Yad and its 500 Italian Fashion Gala 2003 p.1-2 children, who are supported and sustained by its "Warm Charity Evening at Nazareth Italian Hospital p.1 Homes" program. Mr Furstenberg agreed, despite the Italian Team Departs for Afghanistan p.3 security situation, to visit Israel at this time and present Italy Tops Market in 'Liquid Gold' p.3 his latest creations, with the participation of some of Wind to Launch 3G p.3 Israel's most successful young models, on behalf of Italy Invests in Nanotechnology p.4 a worthy cause. Italy-Israel Chamber of Commerce Elects Board p.4 The initiative has also garnered the support of sponsor Eco-Aware Agriculture p.4 organizations such as Alitalia, Excavations at Khirbet Fattir p.5-6 Italy's national airline, p.6 Mediterranean Car Agency Ltd., Frank Gehry in Venice importers of Alfa Romeo autos to New Italian-Israeli R&D Projects Approved p.6 Israel, and the David Collina Voted Best Referee p.6 Intercontinental Hotel, which will Watch Out Fast Food! p.7 host the evening. Lottery tickets will Italian Trade Fair Calendar p.7 be sold for items of value donated Events in Israel p.8 by the sponsoring organizations. All Events in Italy p.8 proceeds from the sale of lottery Embassy of Italy tickets will be donated to Yad B'Yad. Trade Tower, 25 HaMered Street, Tel Aviv 68125 Italian Embassy Press Office: Tel: 03-510.4004 Fax: 03-510.0235 03-510.4004 ext 216<> www.italian-embassy-israel.org E-mail:[email protected] (Economic & Commercial Section) Italian Deputy Minister for the Economy visits Israel ITALY MARKS MEMORIAL DAY (cont. from p. 1) In particular the Thalassemia Project, (cont. from p. 1) Elio Vito, House Whip for occupation; and Ines Figini, a trade union official which provides treatment at Pesaro's Premier Silvio Berlusconi's during Fascism, deported to Mathausen and San Salvatore Hospital for Israeli and Palestinian Forza Italia party, said the government will set Auschwitz. children suffering from the disease (a genetic blood aside 16 million euros for the creation of the As politicians of all persuasions recalled the disorder), was singled out for special appreciation as an Holocaust Museum in the northern city of Holocaust in major speeches, 1,700 schools example of compassionate humanitarianism at work. Ferrara. One million euros a year will be allotted across the country marked the event with a Prof. Baldassarri visited Rambam and Tel Hashomer hospitals, and held meetings with Ministers Nissim for its maintenance. Apart from collecting moment of silence. Dahan, Tzipi Livni and Silvan Shalom. After a briefing testimonies on the Holocaust and on the with representatives of the Italian and Israeli media, the deportation of Italian Jews, the Museum will In a televised message, Premier Silvio Berlusconi Deputy Minister met Shimon Peres and Amram promote meetings on the theme of peace between said Holocaust Memorial Day "must be an Mitzna, who had accompanied a group of Palestinian nations, and honor personalities and projects that occasion to cultivate memory in order not to children with thalassemia to Rome. keep alive the memory of the Holocaust. Ferrara, forget, to combat instances of intolerance, racism In all of his discussions Prof. Baldassarri referred to site of one of Italy's largest Jewish communities and anti-Semitism which still appear in many measures adopted by the Italian government in support outside Rome and the setting for Giorgio Bassani's places on Earth." Earlier Premier Berlusconi of the Thalassemia Project, in particular the inclusion of 45 million in the state budget to finance a three year famous WWII novel "The Garden of the Finzi- paid his respects to the Jewish community in a program for hospitals connected to the project. This will Continis", is a fitting venue for the Museum. telephone call to Rome's chief rabbi, Riccardo be controlled by a Foundation under the auspices of the Di Segni. Ministry of Health, the Foreign Ministry and the Lazio In a separate ceremony, President Ciampi Regional Council. Haifa's Rambam Hospital will remain honored a leading Italian writer, a priest who "Holocaust Memorial Day must be something the focal point of operations, and training programs for saved Jewish refugees, a Resistance fighter, a more than just an occasion to remember the past", medical personnel will be instituted. Prof. Baldassarri trade unionist, a postwar archivist and two said Deputy Premier Gianfranco Fini. He stressed the importance of collaboration in training deportees. Among the seven to receive the Order condemned the anti-Semitic race laws imposed between Israeli and Italian institutions. Further discussions concerned the efficient management of Merit of the Italian Republic was writer Mario under Mussolini's Fascist regime and said they of emergency situations and the possibility of Rigoni Stern, whose citation said that after "were a shameful page in our nation's history strengthening existing forms of collaboration, as well returning from the Russian front he "kept alive [and] created horrors which must be condemned as the development of new ones, within the framework the memory of the suffering of our soldiers." The not only today but on every occasion possible." of the recently signed agreement for cooperation in other six honored were: Don Aldo Brunacci, Democratic Left leader Piero Fassino visited health and medical sciences. Prof. Baldassarri underlined priest at the Cathedral of San Rufino in Assisi Rome's Synagogue and its adjacent Museum in the Italian view that this kind of cooperation lies within who, "during the Second World War saved remembrance of the Holocaust victims.