-Inauguration opens week dedicated to region-

OSAKA, July 8, 2025/ANSA=Kyodo JBN/ --

An inauguration ceremony has opened the week dedicated to the Molise Region inside the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.

The event was attended by Andrea Di Lucente, the Deputy Governor of Molise and Economic Development Councillor, Ambassador Mario Vattani, the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, Quintino Vincenzo Pallante, the President of the Regional Council, and Angelo Primiani, a Regional Councillor.

The region will take centre stage during a series of events, panels and performances organized over seven days, showcasing its rich heritage to Japan, with an exhibition project that aims to pay homage to the host country.

For this reason, the central part of the exhibition area showcases a chair inspired by a Japanese Triskelion, a design element that is very common in family crests and company logos, in particular in the mitsudomoe symbol consisting of three spirals swirling inside a circle.

Molise, after Valle d’Aosta, is Italy’s “ smallest region”, recalled Di Lucente.

However, “we were convinced from the beginning that coming here was an important occasion to try to promote our territory, our companies, our traditions”, he noted.

Opening up to the world aims to “attract new energy, capitals and entrepreneurial projects”, noted the deputy governor of the region, highlighting the “commitment and passion” used to “build a cultural bridge between Molise and Japan, two geographically distant contexts” which are however “surprisingly similar”, he said.

Exhibition niches inside the pavilion will showcase Molise’s handcrafted products – a heritage representing a strong connection with the past and with the region’s cultural identity as it evolves and modernizes today.

Six niches will display the art of making bagpipes, copper objects and lacework.

They will also display the history of the town of Jelsi and its wheat festival, the traditional stone craft of Oratino and the knives of Frosolone.

The week opened with the unveiling of the Venus of Venafro, a Roman copy of a Hellenistic statue from the 2nd century AD, and the presentation of a bell produced by the historic Marinelli foundry, which was blessed by Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, a Japanese Catholic cardinal and the Archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu since August 15, 2023.

However, Molise won’t be in Osaka only to showcase its art, culture and craftsmanship.

The institutional and entrepreneurial meeting ‘Investing in Molise’ on Monday, July 7, will be dedicated to presenting the region as an attractive territory for international investments.

On July 8, the seminar ‘Metals in Dialogue: Molise’s and Japan’s Traditions between History and Innovation’ will showcase the region’s ancient metallurgical tradition, documented by the archaeological findings that are part of the collections of local museums.

Many other events have been organized throughout the week.

Molise has “fully grasped” the spirit of the Italy Pavilion, stressed the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, because it will also focus on “technology and great investment opportunities” in the region.

The choice to showcase one region after another at Expo “is a way to present this variety, this richness of our economy, which is fundamental to showcase on an international stage like this one”, added Vattani.

“I am convinced that the connection existing between our small but important region and a population like Japan’s can bring important reciprocal results because it is necessary to give and to receive when we have the possibility of building a path together”, stated Quintino Vincenzo Pallante, the President of the Regional Council.

The inauguration of the week dedicated to Molise was also attended by Girolamo Panzetta, an Italian television presenter and actor who lives and works in Japan.

Born in the southern Campania region, Panzetta lived for nearly four years in a small town in Molise.

The experience acquainted him “with Italy’s second-smallest region” which is however “great because there is nature, the sea – everything”, he said.

“Living there made me understand the people, the place, the culture”, concluded Panzetta.

Source: General Commissioner’s Office of Italy for Expo 2025 Osaka