Mayor Bevilacqua presents first official Key to the City
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Hon. Laura Boldrini, President of Italy’s Chamber of
Deputies receives inaugural recognition at City Hall
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua presented Vaughan’s first official Key to
the City to the Honourable Laura Boldrini, President of the Chamber of Deputies
in Italy, during her official visit to Canada on Oct. 19. Boldrini is the head
of the Italian Lower House and one of the highest-ranking officials in the
country. As only the third woman to hold this position, she has set a high
standard of public service with her involvement in the United Nations, the
field of journalism and the Italian legislative assembly.
She has received
numerous awards and honours – including the official medal of the National
Commission on Equal Opportunities, the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the
Award of the Spouse of the President of the Republic, Press Officer of the Year
by the National Council of the Journalists’ Association, Italian Woman of the
Year by the weekly magazine Famiglia Cristiana, and the Renato Benedetto
Fabrizi by ANPI National Association of Italian Partisans award. Her visit to
the City of Vaughan reflects the community’s strong and longstanding
relationship with Italy.
Introduced by Mayor
Maurizio Bevilacqua, the Key to the City is bestowed upon distinguished
individuals as a recognition for their contribution in areas of human endeavor
including business, sport, arts and culture, public service, education and
human rights.
QUOTE
“The
Honourable Laura Boldrini is a trailblazer in Italian Parliament,
particularly
for women’s issues, human rights and social justice. As a true servant leader,
she understands that there is no higher purpose than to
make a meaningful contribution to society, and ultimately, a positive difference
in people’s lives. It was a great honour to welcome her to Vaughan and present
her with the first official Key to the City. I believe it is important to
recognize distinguished individuals who have made significant advancements and
notable achievements in their respective field. The Key to the City presented
to the Hon. Laura Boldrini is recognition of her dedication, commitment and
devotion to the betterment of our global community.”
-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
QUICK FACTS
- The establishment of the official Key to the City protocol was presented by Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua in a Member’s Resolution dated Nov. 3, 2015 and was unanimously approved by Council.
- The Key to the City is presented he Key to the City is presented at the discretion of the Mayor.
- The Key to the City is five inches long, gold plated with the Vaughan logo and presented at an official ceremony.
- The practice of giving a key can be traced back to medieval times when the gates to walled cities were guarded during the day and locked at night – the key was a sign of freedom as the recipient could enter and leave as a trusted friend.
LEARN MORE
- City of Vaughan’s Economic Development webpage
- Mayor Bevilacqua’s Member Resolution.
Italian Ambassador Claudio Taffuri, Hon. Laura Boldrini, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Consul General of Italy, Giuseppe Pastorelli.