One of the main issues in the coming years in the Brainport region Eindhoven is to get an international environment which functions well in all layers of the community.
As a representative of the Italian community, the Italian Chamber of Commerce’s chairman, Paolo Pavan, takes the lead in this. He set up discussions to create more sustainable collaborations between the international and local communities in the city. The first meeting of major representative organisations of Italians abroad, established by law, was held at the Pullman Hotel Eindhoven on Saturday, 8 June. These organisations are in constant cooperation with the Italian Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The organisations Comites (Committee of Italians abroad) and CGIE (General Council of Italians Abroad) are supported and boosted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands. This Chamber was represented in person by its President, Paolo Pavan. At the meeting, he had the chance to meet the Italian community in Eindhoven.
During the event, they discussed the presence and development of Italians in the Netherlands to present. Besides the Italians, board members present from comparable organisations from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and a member of the local City Council, Miriam Frosi (CDA party) were also present.
Building companies
Since Paolo Pavan lives here, Eindhoven was chosen as the location for this historic meeting. He wanted to promote the city’s potential. As he explained, “Our city represents since the 19th century a gate; a starting point for many of the Italians that decide to come to the Netherlands. This is besides the fact that there is a community of almost 2,000 Italians just in the Eindhoven region. There is a long tradition of artisans who came to Eindhoven and build their companies and family, from scratch. An excellent example of migration and integration.”
During the meeting, the representative of the organisations had the chance to share, and compare what they experience in the different countries. It is hoped this will help improve the government’s support to citizens who live outside of their own country.
Text: Peter Vos
Editor: Melinda Walraven
