Washington, D.C. — Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Italy:
“Today, America celebrates 160 years of diplomatic relations with Italy, one of our oldest friends, most cherished partners and valued allies. We also mark more than a century and a half since il Risorgimento, when brave patriots unified the peninsula and gave birth to modern Italy. In the decades since, our two nations have forged an essential partnership, defending democracy, protecting peace and advancing progress for families on both sides of the Atlantic, who share the same dreams of a better future for their children.
“The ties between our two nations are uniquely strong because of the vital role that daughters and sons of Italy have played in our history. Indeed, the bonds between the U.S. and Italy are embedded in the very roots of the American story. Italians and Italian American immigrants mapped our coasts, lent our nation its name, helped build our nation with their own hands and inspired some of our greatest landmarks, including the United States Capitol: where a daughter of Italy once again occupies the Speakership. And today, our Italian American communities offer millions of bridges between our two nations.
“As we celebrate the historic bonds between our governments, nations and people, the United States Congress looks forward to working with our Italian partners to forge an ever-firmer friendship for the future. Now more than ever, the Italian-American alliance will be essential to confronting the complex and urgent challenges that lie ahead, from the coronavirus crisis and global economic crisis, to threats to security and human rights around the globe, to the climate crisis. Let us mark this momentous anniversary by recommitting to the special bond between our great nations for generations to come.”
