Italy’s highest civilian award to Sri Lankan Ambassador

On May 30, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Italy, E. Rodney M. Perera, was conferred the highest Italian honour of “Grande Ufficiale—Ordine della Stella della Solidarietá” (Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity), given by the President of the Italian Republic. The award was presented to Ambassador Perera by Senator Giovanni Vernetti, Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy, on behalf of the Italian President, at the Diplomatic Club of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

According to the Italian government, the decision to confer this honour on Ambassador Perera, was taken due to the large contribution made by him during his tenure to strengthen bilateral relations between Italy and Sri Lanka, which entered a new phase after the tsunami of December 2004 and the enhancement of general cooperation during his tenure including the three-fold growth in the volume of trade between the two countries.

Several important landmarks in bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Italy were recorded during the term of office of Ambassador Perera, such as, an official visit by a Sri Lankan Head of State to Rome after 25 years, an official visit by a Sri Lankan Foreign Minister to Rome after 15 years, signing a bilateral agreements on; cultural, educational, scientific and technical cooperation and visits of an Italian Foreign Minister and an Italian Speaker of Parliament to Sri Lanka for the first time ever.

This much coveted Presidential award is conferred on Italians and other nationals who have contributed to the upliftment of Italy’s relations with other countries. Former US President John F. Kennedy, Chairman of Warner Brothers, Harry Warner, singer Frank Sinatra and Russian composer Igor Stravinsky are among the recipients of the “Stella della Solidarietá”, conferred by the Italian President since 1947.

Speaking at the conferring ceremony, Senator Vernetti, on behalf of the President and Foreign Minister of Italy, commended Ambassador Perera for the invaluable contribution he made to strengthen bilateral relations between Italy and Sri Lanka, which he said, entered a new phase after the tsunami and culminated with the successful visits of H.E. the President and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs to Rome in April 2007. While recalling his own fruitful visit to Colombo early this year, the Deputy Foreign Minister also spoke very highly of the growing Sri Lankan expatriate community in Italy.

Ambassador Perera while thanking the Italian government said that he was honoured to receive this rare Italian honour as a Sri Lankan and the representative of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He also appreciated the guidance of Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and the collaboration of his colleagues to make Sri Lanka-Italy relations a priority for Sri Lanka while acknowledging the whole-hearted support of the expatriate Sri Lankan community during his term of office.

Italian Foreign Ministry officials, other government officials and several Ambassadors attended the event.