Occhipinti, former Italian consul in Porto Alegre receives praise upon leaving office
After 4 years as consul general of Porto Alegre, Nicola Occhipinti officially left his position this Tuesday (31/08).
In note published on the page of the Consulate General of Italy in Porto Alegre, he thanked the people of Rio Grande do Sul and said he was eternally grateful. According to him, Rio Grande do Sul will forever remain in his heart, due to the values of family, work and religiosity that are still so alive, which were transmitted by his ancestors, who contributed decisively to the socio-economic development of the region. .
As of today (01/08), Nicola Occhipinti officially assumes the role of chief of staff to the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, senator Ricardo Merlo.
Sensitive to the problems of Italians abroad, Occhipinti managed to stand out by commanding one of the most important consulates in Latin America.
Unafraid to put his face on the line, while consul in Porto Alegre, he frequented citizenship groups on Facebook, gave countless controversial interviews, but always emphasized that Brazilians of Italian origin “are an invaluable human and cultural heritage for Italy.”
Vain, he quickly became a well-regarded personality among those around him and always made a point of celebrating important results. Farewell was no different.
“It was a very intense 4 years. When I arrived, on 1/7/2014, citizens registered in this consulate there were 66.300. Today there are 88.300. By 2016, the queue to submit documentation for recognition of ius sanguinis citizenship exceeded 11 years of waiting. Whoever gets in line today will deliver the documentation in 2020: we have 7.000 families lined up and we are summoning 300 families per month, 3.600 per year, 7.200 in 2 years. Therefore, the queue has been reduced from 11 to 2 years.” (sic), wrote in a note published on the Porto Alegre Consulate's own page.
Occhipinti left a legacy, but it will be up to his successor, Roberto Bortot, to continue the good work.
“I am sure that he will continue this work with the same enthusiasm, to bring the shores of the Atlantic Ocean closer together, to grow and prosper together”, he wrote in the note, which quickly received hundreds of compliments and thanks.
“Nicola Occhipinti finally understood that we are an important resource for Italy. We've been saying this for years. Finally someone recognized it. Now let’s hope that you can raise awareness in the Ministry as well”, he wrote. Silvia Alciati, who served for years on the Committee of Italians Abroad (Comites), having been president of the Belo Horizonte constituency, and serves as advisor to the Latin American continental commission at the General Council of Italians Abroad (Cgie).
Wallace Bottacin, one of the administrators of the largest Italian citizenship group on Facebook, the Free area, made a point of complimenting the work of Occhipinti: “His beautiful work was certainly recognized, he earned his space and deserves to live this moment. The Italian community thanks you and always wishes you the best.”
Ridete Pozzetti congratulated by positioning over descendants. “We are very happy with his new position as it brings us hope for more positive changes for all other consulates.”
“The best consul Brazil has ever had,” he wrote Maria Isabel Di Mota. And she said: “We are sure of his return, this time as ambassador.”
Rafael Frantz congratulated for the work developed and the legacy left. “You managed to instill a feeling of Italianness in many of us. Good luck with the new challenge. I hope you can spread good practices around the world.”
For Evandro Fontana, Secretary of Economic Development, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul, The ability to promote Italy in Rio Grande do Sul and Rio Grande do Sul in Italy was fundamental to its success. I was witness to your great commitment, not just to reduce the backlog of citizenship applications at the consulate. His presence in institutions, here and there, was fundamental for strengthening ties between the two countries. Certainly, this great capacity of yours will also be put into practice in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Take the affection of the Gauchos and my thanks in particular for the great partnerships developed with the Secretariat of Economic Development, Science and Technology during the period in which I was in charge of the body”, he wrote.
By Reginaldo Maia / Italianism
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