06/10/2026
Upon the kind invitation of Her Excellency the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, Mrs. Raffaella Valentini, the Consul General of Lebanon in Los Angeles had the pleasure of participating in the celebration of the National Day of Italy, marking 80 years of the Italian Republic.
The event was held in the presence of distinguished guests including California State Senator Tony Strickland, Deputy Mayor of International Affairs Dilpreet Sidhu, Councilmember Tim McOsker, Hon. Christian Di Sanzo, Italian Cultural Institute Director Emanuele Amendola, Italian Trade Agency Director Giosafat Rigano, and Italian National Tourism Board representative Fabrizio Lanzafame, as well as LA28 Senior Vice President of Sports Niccolò Campriani, and the Mayor of Beverly Hills, Mrs. Sharona Nazarian, alongside members of the consular corps, business leaders, and artists.
We were also honored by the presence of Olympic champion Francesca Lollobrigida, whose achievements on the road to Milano Cortina 2026 embody Italy’s sporting excellence and the shared Olympic spirit leading toward Los Angeles 2028. 🥇
A symbolic highlight of the ceremony was the passing of the Olympic torch from Milano Cortina 2026 to Los Angeles 2028, marked by the lighting of the Olympic flame at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The celebration concluded with a remarkable performance by the USC Trojan Marching Band. 🏟️
It was a true honor to celebrate Italy—an enduring friend and partner of Lebanon—in an atmosphere of friendship and collaboration, with hopes for continued strengthening of our ties in the years ahead. 🇱🇧🇮🇹
