Welcome to Venice, City of Love and Freedom
(foto di filippo giarrusso su Unsplash)
We are delighted and honored to welcome Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez. We always respect the right to speak, but we reject every form of intolerance and prejudice
Sullo stesso argomento:
Venice has always been a city that welcomes. It does so discreetly, with elegance, and with the pride of those who know they live in a place unlike any other in the world. For this reason, we are delighted and honored to welcome Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez. Their decision to celebrate such an intimate and special moment here is a sign of affection toward our city and all that it represents.
Venice is the city of love—not only romantic love, but love for beauty, for history, for culture, for the reflection of life on water. It is the city where the uniqueness of the individual meets the universality of the spirit. That is why freedom is breathed in every corner: freedom of thought, of expression, of emotion, of dissent. We proudly defend that freedom even when, as in these days, someone tries to exploit a private event for propaganda or polemics. A small, shouting minority stands against a majority who prefer to work quietly.
We always respect the right to speak, but we reject every form of intolerance and prejudice. In Venice, no one may claim the right to decide who may enter, who may love, who may celebrate. Our city has hosted popes, emperors, artists, entrepreneurs, and countless ordinary people. It has done so—and will continue to do so—with that unmistakable blend of hospitality and dignity. Just as we defend freedom, so we do not tolerate arrogance.
We know what it means to be watched by the entire world. We know that every gesture in Venice can become a symbol. But we also know how to distinguish what truly matters: the happiness of people, the chance to live one’s feelings freely, the willingness to build bridges between cultures and generations. This is the spirit we wish to convey to all who come here.
To Mr. Bezos, his partner, and all their guests, we wish peaceful days in our city. May they carry with them the memory of an authentic Venice—strong, full of life, and in love with life itself. Because that is what we are, despite everything: a city that never stops moving, welcoming, uniting. Welcome to Venice, the oldest city of the future.
Luigi Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice
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