Italy’s Ambassador to the United States, Marco Peronaci, today concluded his three-day visit to Florida, accompanied by Italy’s Consul General in Miami, Michele Mistò.
The mission was preceded by a meeting last Monday in Washington with Governor Ron DeSantis, during which both sides agreed to strengthen the already solid cooperation between Italy and Florida. In particular, they highlighted their shared commitment to further boosting the already excellent economic, cultural, and scientific-technological partnership.
“There are increasingly integrated business, commercial, and manufacturing ecosystems between Italy and Florida, with the potential to grow even further,” Ambassador Peronaci emphasized. “The meetings I’ve had over these past few days confirm the strong desire for Italy in one of America’s most dynamic and fastest-growing states: there are major opportunities for our companies, and every component of the Italy System stands ready to support them,” he added.
The visit began with a stop at the Freedom Tower, one of Miami’s most iconic landmarks, which was then illuminated in green, white, and red in tribute to Italy and to the significant contribution of the Italian-American community to the city’s development.
During the mission, the Ambassador met with the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine Cava, and the Director of PortMiami, Hydi Webb, with whom he visited the MSC cruise terminal. Built by Fincantieri, the MSC terminal in Miami is the largest and most technologically advanced in the world, and its iconic design is considered a showcase of Italian craftsmanship.
Peronaci visited in Fort Lauderdale the headquarters of Azimut Benetti and Sanlorenzo Americas, two of the world’s leading groups in the boating industry. These Italian excellences represent the high-end sector and Italian innovation worldwide: by combining shipbuilding tradition, industrial expertise, and an international vision, the vessels produced by our brands serve as true ambassadors of “Made in Italy” throughout the Southeastern United States and beyond.
During a meeting with staff from the Consulate General, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), the Ambassador thanked the entire Team Italy in Miami for the excellent results achieved, despite the constant growth of our community throughout the consular district. The increasing numbers have made Miami the second-largest Italian Consulate in the United States in terms of AIRE registrations. The meeting with the Italian community, Comites members, entrepreneurs, academics, and Italian scientists provided several insights on how to systematize Italian expertise and experience in Florida.
A particularly productive meeting was also held with major companies operating in the Southeastern United States, during which the Ambassador reaffirmed the commitment of all institutions, in line with the growth-oriented diplomacy strategy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tajani, to fostering the best market conditions for the internationalization of Italian businesses.
Florida is the fourth-largest U.S. state by GDP (1.5 trillion dollars) and the world’s sixteenth-largest economy. Total trade between Florida and Italy in 2023 amounted to 4.8 billion dollars. Florida has risen to fourth place among U.S. states that import Italian products, with total imports of 3.8 billion dollars, and it is the state with the highest number of Italian companies operating in the U.S., with more than 400.
During the Ambassador’s mission, which coincided with activities organized by the Consulate General for the 10th Annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, noteworthy meetings were held with the scientific community, and in particular with Prof. Camillo Ricordi, Director of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami, one of the world’s leading centers dedicated to finding a definitive cure for diabetes. The meeting was attended by numerous high-level figures in the field of cutting-edge medical research and applications in the United States.
