Dear fellow Italians, dear friends of Italy,
It is a privilege to assume the office of Consul General at the Consulate General (first-class) of Italy in Toronto. The Consulate has a large jurisdiction, encompassing almost the entire province of Ontario, the provinces of Manitoba and Northwest Territories. It is a particularly demanding task, knowing that interactions are with one of the most dynamic and numerous Italian communities in the country; accustomed, among other things, to take advantage of Canadian services characterized by intense digitalization.
Of course, there are high expectations for the Consulate to meet efficiency in services provided. In these first months, I will focus on organization and available resources, both human and financial, to understand if there are sectors needing to be strengthened or in any case if there is room for further improvement.
Alongside the provision of consular services, however, a Consulate like the one in Toronto must also keep in touch with the evolution of the Italian community residing in the host country; at the same time, it should promote among the Canadian public knowledge about the Italian excellence in the economic, entrepreneurial, cultural and scientific fields.
I hope that the Consulate General will be a point of coordination for all the actors of “Italian national System ” operating in this jurisdiction. I refer in particular to the Italian Cultural Institute (IIC), the Italian Trade and Investments Agency (ICE-Agency of Toronto), the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Ontario (ICCO), the National Tourism Agency (ENIT). I also hope to continue, while applying the more stringent procedures envisaged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the collaboration with the local Bodies (Enti Gestori) specifically dealing with Italian language and culture courses.
Dear Fellow Italians,
Aware of your contribution to the development and growth of the host country, while continuing to cherish Italian values and traditions, I will be concentrating on developing appropriate synergies with our community, first of all through its important representative bodies.
I invite you to visit our web site frequently, and to follow the Consulate’s activities also through its official pages, especially on Facebook and Twitter. We will try to further improve and strengthen the range of services that can be used digitally or in any case remotely, while keeping you constantly updated on news and initiatives; your suggestions are also always welcome, as useful inputs in trying to respond promptly to the needs of our users.
A cordial greeting to all!
Luca Zelioli
Consul General