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April 13, 1861. A Great Story” Exhibition of Historical Documents on the beginning of diplomatic relations between Italy and the United States

On the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and the United States, the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C., in collaboration with the Historical Diplomatic Archive and the Library of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, presented today a unique exhibition of historical documents on the beginning of diplomatic relations between Italy and the United States, curated by Federica Onelli, State Archivist of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This exhibition traces a particularly meaningful phase of the extraordinary path that led Italy and the United States to become fast friends and strong allies,” said the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Armando Varricchio. “A history made of political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations, of shared values and principles, as well as of continuous migratory flows.”

Visitors will delve into a fascinating page of the history of relations between Italy and the United States, by exploring letters, dispatches, reports, books, and agreements, spanning from the Kingdom of Sardinia’s first expression of interest in strengthening political ties with the United States in 1838, to the U.S. recognition of the Kingdom of Italy on April 13, 1861, a day after the outbreak of the American Civil War.

Two historical documents of this exhibition were restored as a courtesy of the Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), an Italian center of excellence in the restoration, conservation and research of documents and books.

The American edition of the volume by Carlo Botta is on loan as a courtesy of George Washington University.

For more information click here.