Christ the Redeemer “wears” the Italian Flag. Through one of its most representative monuments, Rio de Janeiro paid homage to Italy in the day in which Prime Minister Matteo Renzi landed in the city hosting the Olympic Games. It was the Prime Minister himself who turned on the lighting installation dedicated to Italy. “I do not wish to sound blasphemous - said the Head of the government - but we like to think that this Italian Flag might be seen in the coming days on the highest flagpole of some award ceremony. Today’s gesture makes us happy and enthusiast. From this height, it is fantastic to be able to say long live Brazil, long live Italy, and long may live the Olympic Games”.

He also said: “it is extremely difficult to describe the emotion I feel being here, in this important and historic moment for the city of Rio and for everyone of us. Today Italy is strongly present in Rio de Janeiro not only because of the bonds of friendship and fraternity linking our peoples but also for the extraordinary presence of many Italian women and men in Brazil and the presence of many Brazilian women and men in Italy. This presence is made even more beautiful by the arrival of the Italian Olympic team, by Giovanni Malagò, President of CONI and by Luca di Montezemolo, President of the Committee for the promotion of Rome 2024: it is as if, arriving here in Rio, ready to inaugurate Casa Italia, and the Olympic Games the day after tomorrow, we wanted to pay homage to this friendship with the colours of our presence, growing ever stronger and brighter”.

The ceremony, which took place in the afternoon on the Corcovado, was also attended by Giovanni Malagò, President of CONI, by Luca di Montezemolo, President of the Committee for the Promotion of Rome 2024, Antonio Bernardini, Italian ambassador in Brazil, and Riccardo Battisti, the Italian General Consul in Brazil, together with cardinal Orani Tempesta, archbishop of Rio.