Donation to help Italian city rebuild after August storm

The government has donated 100,000 euros (US$110,520) to Cremona, a city in northern Italy, to support reconstruction efforts following a storm in August.

Taiwan Representative Office in Italy Milan office Director-General Lin Tsan-nan (林讚南) attended a donation ceremony on Thursday at Cremona City Hall hosted by Mayor Andrea Virgilio.

Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Mayor Francesca Romagnoli, City Council President Luciano Pizzetti, City Secretary Gabriella Di Girolamo and Marcello Ventura, president of the City Council’s Fourth Commission on Productive Activities.

Taiwan Representative Office in Italy Milan Office Director-General Lin Tsan-nan, left, presents a donation to Cremona Mayor Andrea Virgilio at Cremona City Hall on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of the office via CNA

Lin said in his speech that Taiwan, which also faces natural disasters caused by extreme weather, can empathize with Cremona’s experience.

Lin said that extreme weather knows no national boundary and that he hoped Italy would support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) so the two sides could jointly address the issue.

Virgilio thanked Taiwan’s government on behalf of Cremona and its residents for the generous support, saying that the storm had damaged schools, homes and businesses.

He said the donation would be used to restore public green spaces, including replanting trees and repairing damaged parks and gardens.

Ventura said the donation was a concrete outcome of efforts to improve cooperation between Taiwan and Cremona, demonstrating how international friendship could translate into tangible assistance for local communities.

UNFCCC’s 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is to be held in Antalya, Turkey, from Monday to Nov. 20. Taiwan is not a party to the UNFCCC and is excluded from formal participation in the negotiations.