President and First Lady arrive in Rome, starting State visit to Italy and visit to the Vatican

At nearly 5:00 p.m. (local time), on July 25, the plane carryingPresident Vo Van Thuong and his wife and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation landed at Fiumicino International Airport, Italy, beginning a state visit to Italy and the Vatican.

Chủ tịch nước và Phu nhân đến Rome, bắt đầu chuyến thăm cấp Nhà nước Italy và thăm Toà thánh Vatican

The President and his wife arrived in Rome, starting a state visit to Italy and the Vatican. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Welcoming President Vo Van Thuong and his wife at Fiumicino International Airport, on the Italian side were Secretary of State, Member of Parliament Maria Tripodi; Director of Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bruno Antonio Pasquino; Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro; Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Torino Sandra Scagliotti; Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Napoli Silvio Vecchione.

On the Vatican side were Monsignor Joseph Murphy, Director of the Apostolic Protocol; Monsignor Francesco Canalini, Archbishop, Apostolic Nuncio.

On the Vietnamese side, there were Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung; Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Italy.

During his visit to Italy, President Vo Van Thuong is expected to hold talks with President Sergio Mattarella and attend a State Banquet hosted by the President; meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa, President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana, President of the Tuscany Region, Mayor of Rome and Mayor of Florence; and attend a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Italy diplomatic relations.

President Vo Van Thuong and his wife receive flowers from children. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

The President will also have a number of other activities such as meeting leaders of the Communist Party and the Democratic Party of Italy; visiting the Vietnamese Embassy and meeting the Vietnamese community in Italy and Italian friends.

The President and his wife will pay a state visit to Italy and the Vatican from July 25-28. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Over the past time, Vietnam-Vatican relations have seen positive changes. The two sides have effectively maintained high-level contacts and the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group mechanism.

Since 2011, the Holy See's non-resident Special Envoy has been working in Vietnam. During the visit, President Vo Van Thuong will meet with Pope Francis and the Prime Minister, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

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