School ship Amerigo Vespucci left the port of Quebec City on 8 July after a 4-day stop, thus concluding the Canadian adventure as part of the 2017 Education Campaign.
Yet another historic stage for the Navy sailing ship which, precisely in Quebec City, capital of the homonymous province and oldest city in North America, had never landed despite the 86-year career spent sailing all the seas of the world.
Also in Quebec, the Vespucci as Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF brought its message of peace and hope for all and in particular for young people, without distinction of race, language, religion and political opinion. A position renewed in 2016 in Livorno of which Vespucci is proud of, waving the blue flag symbol of the Organization that belongs to the United Nations, in all ports of the world.
Once the mooring maneuver was completed, the city of Quebec immediately turned its gaze to the Vespucci, admiring in particular its nocturnal charm. The lighting of the tree-lined with the colors of the Italian flag left hundreds of people with their noses upturned, who approached the quay every evening.
But the stop in the port was also an opportunity to renew and strengthen the collaboration between Italy and Quebec in all areas of research, with particular reference to advanced manufacturing, to encourage the development of innovative technologies applicable to the aerospace, agri-food, micro and nanoelectronic. On 6 July, in the "council room" of the unit and in the presence of its commander, ship captain Angelo Patruno, the consul general of Italy in Montreal Marco Riccardo Rusconi and the deputy minister for international relations Michel Lafleur renewal of the executive bilateral program of cultural-scientific-technological cooperation has been signed.
The Navy vessel is now heading towards Boston, in the United States, where it will land on July 18. On board the "most beautiful ship in the world" 125 students of the first class of the Naval Academy of Livorno, embarked on June 22 in Montreal, will continue their training with the aim of learning both the art of going to sea and the values that animate all sailors.
During the ocean navigation in particular, the students will do the "baptism of the mast", participating together with the crew of the Vespucci at the opening of the sails during the General Maneuvering Place at the Sail. An activity considered highly formative to temper the character, learning the value and spirit of teamwork. A seafaring art that, yesterday as today, continues to represent the very essence of our sailors.
