It was a special day for the more than 250 Italians who flocked to Little Caesars Arena for the last regular season game of the Detroit Pistons, who returned to the playoffs after a six-year absence, at the end of an amazing season. Fifty Italian excellences, business managers and representatives of institutions took to the court in a mini basketball tournament played on the NBA court and celebrated the UN's Made in Italy Day and International Sports Day.
The event, promoted by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit, headed by Consul Allegra Baistrocchi, in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan and its president Lia Adelfi, was organised in partnership with the Il Newyorkese group of Davide Ippolito and Italy America Summit Cup founder Emanuele Scamardella.
The match was framed by a special moment: the presentation of the first issue of Il Detroiter, the new newspaper of reference for the Italian community in Michigan, part of the large family of Il Newyorkese, leader of the largest Italian publishing group in the United States. For the occasion, Il Detroiter dedicated its cover to Simone Fontecchio, wing of the Italian national team and the Detroit Pistons, a symbol of the new generation of Italian talent that is making a name for itself overseas, who met with the community at the end of the day to award the winning team and take some photos.
"The National Made in Italy Day celebrates what represents us in the world: quality, creativity, and the ability to combine tradition and innovation," noted Consul Allegra Baistrocchi. "Made in Italy," she continued, "is our business card, a distinctive sign recognised and appreciated everywhere, but it is also the fruit of a culture that focuses on work well done, the territory, and the value of knowledge. In an international context such as Detroit, where Italy continues to leave its mark, this day takes on an even stronger value: it strengthens the link between our roots and the future we are building together. And doing it under the banner of sport and the intrinsic values of teamwork - with an international champion like Simone Fontecchio - makes it even more special."
It was an opportunity to unite the Italian community, to foster cultural exchange through sport with the aim of strengthening the bond between Italy and Detroit, in the wake of Italian pride'.
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