The historic port of Alexandria recently played host to a magnificent spectacle, welcoming the Italian naval training vessel, the Amerigo Vespucci, from February 12th to 18th, 2025. This marked the second Alexandrian visit in 93 years of its existence for the celebrated famous ship, widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful sailing vessels.
The Vespucci’s presence formed part of the “Amerigo Vespucci’s Ship and Village in Italy Mediterranean Tour,” an initiative championed by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and supported by twelve ministries under the Council of Ministers, with implementation by Difesa Servizi S.p.A.
Adding to the allure, RAI, the tour’s global media partner, joined the Vespucci on its Mediterranean journey. This collaboration featured a special connection with the 75th Sanremo Festival, a globally broadcast event reaching over 50 million viewers across five days. As is tradition, the Sanremo winner, as previously announced by host and artistic director Carlo Conti, will represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest.
A cultural highlight of the visit was the “Vespucci Meets Egypt” event on Saturday, February 15th. This elegant occasion, orchestrated by the Ministries of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests, and Culture, with support from the Italian Embassy, the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), and the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, showcased a captivating blend of literary and musical artistry.
Readings of selected works by Giuseppe Ungaretti and Tomas Marinetti, performed by Italian actor David Rondoni and Egyptian actress Fatima Adel, were complemented by a musical performance featuring soprano Florence Mercali, tenor Paul Mascari, and special guest, Egyptian soprano Gala El-Haddidi, accompanied on piano by Maestro Francis Di Poli.
Adding a touch of historical poignancy, two hundred and fifty students from the “Don Bosco” Institute in Alexandria, where Ungaretti spent his childhood, were in attendance, with Ungaretti’s school records and report card displayed for the occasion.
The sunset event on February 15th, 2025, drew a distinguished audience of maritime transport and tourism figures, alongside numerous consuls and ambassadors. The ceremony commenced with the Egyptian and Italian national anthems, followed by welcoming addresses from Italian dignitaries, including the Ministers of Culture and Agriculture, and the Italian Ambassador. The programme featured poetry recitations and operatic performances of renowned Italian pieces.
An exclusive dinner aboard the Amerigo Vespucci saw awards presented to ambassadors of Italian quality worldwide. This event, dedicated to the UNESCO nomination of Italian cuisine as an intangible heritage of humanity, was organised in collaboration with the Italian government’s Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies.
For three days, the public was granted the privilege of exploring the ship, immersing themselves in its rich maritime heritage. Built in 1931, the Vespucci serves as a training vessel for the Italian Navy, boasting a long history of circumnavigating the globe and promoting Italian maritime culture. The vessel measures 101 meters in length with a draft of 7.3 meters.
The Vespucci embarked on its 20-month global tour from Genoa on July 1, 2023, visiting 35 ports in 31 countries across five continents. Alexandria served as its final international port of call before its return to Italy.
The Alexandria Port Authority’s enthusiastic facilitation of the Amerigo Vespucci’s visit underscores its commitment to fostering maritime tourism, solidifying Egypt’s prominent role in the Mediterranean, and supporting the growth of tourism befitting Egypt’s historical significance. Following the ship’s arrival, the Port Authority opened the doors of its architecturally impressive marine passenger terminal to the public, further enhancing the visitor experience
