Italian Consul General Zelioli leaves with a positive record
TORONTO – Most of us are “just passing through”. Others do so with a purpose. Whether to fulfill an obligation, an assigned task, to meet a challenge on behalf of a higher authority, they do so with a sense of self-effacing dignity and a will bring credit and glory to the larger collective. That would be the category to which Luca Zelioli, Consul General for Italy in Toronto has earned a rightful place.
Today marks the final day of his role in office on behalf of Italy. Those who come from the Belpaese, or can trace their roots to it, will agree the country and its Diaspora have been served with professional care and sophisticated grace. His actions, service and accomplishments locally, and in unison with Authorities on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond have distinguished themselves for initiative and consistency in the promotion of our culture, our values and our history.
Without taking anything away from other cultures and people, we have been gifted with much for which we can be justly proud. Luca Zelioli did everything with that principle in mind. It was in his DNA as well as in his job description.
The Corriere Canadese has been happy to participate in the publicization of some of those efforts on his part. We could not in a single article list the events nor much less evaluate the objectives or indeed the efficacy – immense in the opinion of even the most skeptic – of their realization.
We could have kept ourselves extra busy merely by following his itinerary to discover and promote events and patronize of things Italian – academic, culinary, fashion, commerce, architecture, music, celebratory manifestations of the Diaspora’s contribution to our host (now, our) country, researchers, manufacturing, leadership in industry, finance, law, medicine, teaching, labour, construction and politics. The list is endless: he sought out with meticulous attention what the community has accomplished from its earliest days of immigration since the late 1880s – 150 years ago.
Within the constraints of his mandate and in collaboration with the Embassy in Ottawa, he seemed always ready to aid in the development of reciprocal commercial and political relationships between Italian and Canadian entrepreneurs. Suffice it to say that, in my years of experience with the Consulate General as a political representative or publisher, only one other official in that mandate came close to capturing a similar level of professional regard from “locals”.
But there is a human side to Luca (pardon the informality of the address) that should be noted. He devoted discretionary funds to improve the ambience of what is essentially Casa Italia so that visitors might feel both at home and impressed when they entered the premises. The Consulate has been virtually redone from within as well as without. The work is still in progress.
Equally important has been his management style. It is no secret that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has redirected operational changes he has had to oversee for people (us) who take only passing note of the requirements of Italian law and procedure. He demanded and nurtured a culture of care among his staff, nonetheless. When one of his assistants passed away, he commissioned a plaque in her memory and placed it above one of the doorways. He did the same when a friend of the community and “mentor” on the Toronto Diaspora suffered a similar end.
You have served us well. May your career continue with equal success wherever the Italian Government may seek your service.
In the pic below, Consul Generale Luca Zelioli (photo: Corriere Canadese)
