The United Kingdom welcomes Italy
The British government presents in Milan new opportunities for business, studying and travelling between Italy and the United Kingdom.
Presented on Thursday 2 February in the Palazzo Giure Consulti, in the presence of British Ambassador in Italy Jill Morris, the new elements in the Welcome to GREAT Britain, a series of initiatives promoted by British organisations in Italy, British Embassy, British Council, the Department for International Trade (DIT) and VisitBritain aimed at encouraging businessmen, students and Italian tourists to choose the UK for business, study and holidays.
Two weeks after the speech the British Prime Minister Theresa May held in London to illustrate the reasons and the aims of negotiations for exiting the European Union, the UK remains open to the world, to Europe, and in particular Italy.
In the presence of top managers from the respective organisations, the event at Palazzo Giure Consulti illustrated to the numerous guests the principal developments which are designed to attract even more businessmen, tourists and students who will continue to be welcome in the UK.
Opening the event the British Ambassador in Italy Jill Morris underlined:
The UK is getting ready to leave EU institutions, but not Europe, a continent which it will continue to belong to for historical, geographical, cultural and sentimental reasons. To this, without a doubt, strong economic and commercial ties exist on both sides of the Channel.
A new digital platform created by the Department for International Trade (DIT) www.GREAT.gov.uk/int aims to stimulate the creation of business opportunities for anyone from Italy who is interested in trading or investing in the UK, or studying or visiting the country.
A marketing campaign #OMGB (Oh My Great Britain) places an emphasis on the rich range of tourist possibilities in a country that receives almost 2 million Italian tourists each year and is preparing to welcome even more.
The UK has 18 of the top 100 universities in the world, and four in the top ten. Every year more than 10,000 Italians choose to study in a British university or school, with a trend which has grown by 10% in recent years. This is fourth highest figure of EU countries and the tenth highest at a global level. In a few weeks the British Council will hold a new edition of Study in the UK, in Milan, with over 40 British educational establishments ready to welcome new students from Italy.
Remembering how the UK is proud of its diversity, a characteristic that has historically enriched its economic, cultural and social fabric, Ambassador Morris emphasised:
The referendum of last 23 June does not change the essence of our country: the UK will continue to welcome as much as Italy and other European partners want to offer in terms of talent and ideas in all fields.
I am confident,” she concluded, “that the relations between Italy and the United Kingdom will be strengthened by this complex path, by virtue of the common interests and ties that have always united and brought our two countries together.