The Mayor of the City of Torino Sergio Chiamparino led The Mayor of the City of Torino Sergio Chiamparino led a mission, for promoting the initiatives related to the celebrations of the 150th Anniversary of Italy’s Unification, to Toronto, in Canada, where is settled one of the largest communities of Italians living abroad.

The delegation took part in the Business Excellence Awards, 2010, which every year are conferred by the Ontario Italian Chamber of Commerce to Italian-Canadian entrepreneurs who distinguished themselves for their work. On May 13th, in the evening, the ceremony took place, with more than 700 guests, and it scheduled, among the others, interventions of the Mayor Chiamparino, guest of honour of the kermesse, and of Evelina Christillin President of the Fondazione Teatro Stabile di Torino. A special award “City of Torino - Always on the Move, tell the changing city” was conferred to Christopher Hume, Columnist of the Toronto Star and during the evening a free week-end in Torino was offered to two people drawn from the public. The Consul General of Italy in Canada, Gianni Bardini, also attended the ceremony.

Besides, during its stay in Canada, the delegation took part in many other initiatives.

On May 12th the delegation attended a promotional event for tourism in Piedmont, organized by ENIT-Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo/CEIP-Centro Estero per l’Internazionalizzazione del Piemonte.

On May 13th, in the morning, Mayor Chiamparino met the Tourism and Culture Minister, Michael Chan, the Foreign Commerce and Investments Minister, Sandra Pupatello, and he was officially welcomed by some members of the Ontario Parliament. A meeting with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto, with the Economic Club and with the local media then followed, during which the Mayor Chiamparino presented the new attitude of the city of Torino, no longer a mono-industrial city. Alongside, Evelina Christillin met the CEO of the Luminato Festival, Janice Price, and its Artistic Director, Chris Lorway.

Finally, on May 14th the Mayor Chiamparino was interviewed by the multicultural TV Station OMNI, broadcasting also in Italian.

The organisation of the mission to Toronto was coordinated by the International Affairs Department of the City of Torino in collaboration with the Culture, Communication and Promotion Division of the City of Torino and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto.