Florence and New York. United in Diversity

From March third to the sixth, Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, visited Manhattan along with the assessor for international relations, Luciano Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, who accompanied him in various institutional meetings.

Dario Nardella and journalist Fred Plotkin at the Da Ponte Library

Dario Nardella and Bill De Blasio

Nicoletta Mantovani

Throughout a time span of barely seventy-two hours, the mayor of the Renaissance’s cradle manifested an optimistic viewpoint. His key word was “Invest in Florence”.

Projects in real estate, tourism and the new urban regulation plan that will “allow for investments up to one and a half billion euros, mainly for the resurrection of abandoned buildings” said Dario Nardella.
“American investors have great interest in tourism, social housing, and in part of the commercial sector. And luckily, we begin to see a small but interesting rise in consumption in Italy. And particularly in Florence”.

Rendez-vous with both institutional and artistic scopes, like the visit to contemporary sculptor Jeff Koons’ studio, the encounter with mayor Bill De Blasio, the one with Peter Madonia, the vice president of Rockefeller Foundation, and with the delegates of the Columbus Citizens Foundation.

Naturally, between stops, a moment was cut out to visit the newborn Lorenzo Da Ponte Library, mounted in the Italian Cultural Institute, where the Consul General, and regent of the Institute, Natalia Quintavalle, welcomed him.
Nardella declared himself very satisfied with his encounter with the mayor of New York. “We had a 360 degree conversation with Bill De Blasio, touching upon local and international issues. We both agreed on the need to strengthen the network of mayors around the world.” Dario Nardella specified.

“The mayor of New York is very proud of his Italian and specifically southern origins. I have to say that, even though I am the mayor of Florence, I don’t repudiate my origins, having been born in the province of Naples. I directed him to Florence because next November we will have an important peace convention, “Unity in Diversity””.

The cultural and artistic ties between the City of New York and that of Florence have historical importance and they must be reinforced in the present.

Starting with last year’s Florentine Jackson Pollock exhibit and following with the one that will be held by Jeff Koons, considered by many to be Andy Warhol’s successor, in Florence this coming fall. During the course of his visit to the studio, Jeff Koons showed Nardella models of the works he will exhibit in Italy. “They are incredible and extraordinary”, the mayor of Florence exclaimed. Nardella applauded one of the most important artists in the international contemporary art scene who will exhibit his works in Palazzo Pitti and in Palazzo Vecchio in the occasion of the Biennial Antiques Fair scheduled to take place at Palazzo Corsini from September 26th to October 4th.