The Amerigo Vespucci ship needs no introduction: it represents a case of Italian Design ante litteram and is a symbol of Italy in the world. It is the oldest Unit in service in the Italian Navy, built and fitted out at the Royal Naval Shipyard in Castellamare di Stabia, launched on February 22, 1931 and delivered to the Royal Navy on May 26, 1931.

In 1962, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Independence, crossing its route in the Mediterranean, asked the Italian training ship to identify itself through a lightning communication. The USS Independence, upon the reply “Nave Scuola Amerigo Vespucci - Marina Militare Italiana,” greeted with an expression that has become famous: “You are the most beautiful ship in the world.”

In September 2022, 60 years later, another American aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, crossed Nave Vespucci's route in transit from Manfredonia to Taranto in the lower Adriatic Sea.

The commander, Capt. David-Tavis Pollard, in remembrance of the historic event that occurred with the USS Independence, asked over the radio, “Are you the Italian Navy's sailing ship Amerigo Vespucci?”

To the affirmative answer of Captain of the Navy, Massimiliano Siragusa, the Americans replied, “After 60 years you're still the most beautiful ship in the world.”

This marvel of the sea is now also the means to carry out an intelligent project for the promotion of Made in Italy, which can be considered a masterpiece of Communication Design.

Nave Vespucci is currently engaged in a world tour, departing from Genoa on July 1, 2023, with expected return to the port of assignment on Feb. 25, 2025, after visiting five continents and crossing three oceans, covering about 40,000 miles.

Beginning with the Los Angeles stop, and for seven more stops, the historic sailing ship is joined by the staging of a “Multi-Year Itinerant World Expo.”

The Italy Village, tested at the Buenos Aires stop in March 2024, represents an international display of Italian excellence, an admirable condensation of Made in Italy, spanning numerous commodities, with specific focuses on Blu and Space Economy.

The Multi-Year Itinerant World Expo is scheduled on the following dates: Los Angeles, in the United States, July 3 to 8, 2024; Tokyo, in Japan, Aug. 25 to 30, 2024; Darwin, in Australia, Oct. 4 to 7, 2024; Singapore, Oct. 24 to 28, 2024; Mumbai, in India, Nov. 28 to Dec. 2, 2024; Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, Dec. 17 to 19, 2024; Doha, in Qatar, Dec. 22 to 25, 2024; and Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, Jan. 20 to 24, 2025. 

The Los Angeles and Tokyo stops were a great success, demonstrating the appeal of Italian Design, the strength of Made in Italy and the intelligence of the project.

During the U.S. stopover, in fact, as many as 72,000 people admired the sailing ship and visited the Italy Village, with a record 42,000 on board.

During the six-day stopover, among other things, the ship and the Exposition received the Deputy Minister of Business and Made In Italy, Hon. Valentino Valentini, the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Hon. Matteo Perego di Cremnago, the Consul General in Los Angeles, Dr. Raffaella Valentini, the artist Jago, soccer player Giorgio Chiellini, and actress Serena Autieri.

The stamp dedicated to the Vespucci's World Tour was also presented on board in Los Angeles, as well as the High Level Round Table Symposium, in collaboration with the Hydrographic Institute of the Navy and the Water Academy.

The CEO of Difesa Servizi, Luca Andreoli, commented on the great success of the initiative: “An exceptional result, well beyond expectations, with numbers that leave no room for doubt. The model of the Italy Village as a mini traveling Expo alongside Nave Amerigo Vespucci, formerly the ambassador of Italy in the World, has enchanted Los Angeles, to which goes my heartfelt thanks for the great response of affection expressed during these days, and the thousands of visitors represent a beautiful image of the historical and solid bond between the two countries, confirming how much Italy is loved and appreciated in the world.”

In Tokyo, over the five days of the stopover, as many as 63,000 people visited the Veliero and the Village events, while 25,000 boarded the ship.

A truly significant success, also from the point of view of institutional, economic cultural and scientific relations between Italy and Japan, which were further consolidated during the stopover.

Said, with justifiable pride, Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defense: “The world tour of Nave Vespucci and the Italy Village, in conjunction with the presence in Japan of the Carrier Strike Group with the aircraft carrier Cavour, have brought to Japan a piece of Italy of art, culture and above all the excellence of our technology and our Defense. We strengthened our ties with Japan by strengthening cooperation in the strategic Defense sector.”

And the meritorious initiative continues, stage by stage, under the Ship's motto: “Not he who begins but that which perseveres.”

Moreover, the project is a virtuous example of partnership, both at the institutional level and in the field of Public-Private relations.

In fact, the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour and the Italy Village Multi-Annual Itinerant World Expo were made possible by the collaboration of eleven ministries, with funding and management by Difesa Servizi, the in-house company of the Ministry of Defense, which implements all phases of the initiative, with support from the Ninetynine agency.