The Minister of the Environment Sergio Costa, the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Manlio Di Stefano, in the presence of the Mayor of Oslo, Marianne Borgen, and the staff of the Embassy and the Italian Instute of Culture, inaugurated yesterday Italian Embassy in Oslo ad a “plastic-free Embassy”.
During the ceremony, in the premises of the Embassy, Minister Costa and Undersecretary Di Stefano emphasized that this is the first Italian Embassy in the world to become plastic-free and that it is to be considered as “a window on a change of mentality. A change that is not only symbolic but concrete and exemplary. Both have pointed out that this is a national best practice and certainly a model to be replicated.
On her part, the Mayor of Oslo has put this initiative in the context of the events related to the city’ year as as the European green capital 2019.
The responsible of the project at the Embassy, Gabriele D’Angelo, illustrated the steps of the initiative: to raise awareness of staff and users to reduce the use of non-essential plastic and to eliminate disposable plastic, the commitment to periodically check the progressive reduction of the use of plastic containers, 100% recycling, the adoption of the decalogue set up by the Ministry of the Environment for the progressive elimination of plastic.
“In a country like Norway that adopts advanced environmental policies, the Italian Embassy has decided to do its part. We started recently with the implementation of the initiative – Ambassador Colella said. “Of course, we certainly need more time and work to complete it, but there is a strong commitment and enthusiasm among all of us working at the Embassy”.
A plaque, which will hung outside the building, was then unveiled identifying the Embassy as plastic free.
The initiative follows the Farnesina’s commitment, which became plastic-free on 20 December last year, and that of the Ministry of the Environment that abandoned the use of disposable plastic on 4 October 2018.
The Minister of the Environment Sergio Costa and the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Manlio Di Stefano
The Minister of the Environment Sergio Costa and the Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen
The Director of the Cilento National Park Romano Gregorio, the President of the Park Tommaso Pellegrino, the Minister of the Environment Sergio Costa, the Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen and the Italian Ambassador Alberto Colella
