STARTING tomorrow, Roma Capitale will be the protagonist in the Week of Rome (Settimana di Roma) at the Italy Pavilion at World Expo 2010.

It is presented in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, the National Institute for Foreign Trade and the Rome Chamber of Commerce. The agreement between Roma Capitale and the Expo Commissioner General, presided over by Beniamino Quintieri, assures a high level of presence and visibility for the capital city.

Mayor Giovanni Alemanno, together with a select Campidoglio delegation, arrived in China on Monday. They will visit Shanghai today and tomorrow.

This will be the first international mission after the foundation of Roma Capitale, and 20 companies associated with the Unione Industriali Romani will take part in the event.

The mayor will be accompanied by Ambassador Umberto Vattani, president of ICE (Italian Trade/Commerce Commission), and by Counselor Francesco Maria Orsi as the Expo Shanghai delegate.

The city of Rome showcases itself at the Expo Shanghai as an organized and efficient system, offering excellent reception and infrastructure as well as incomparable artistic, monumental, historic and environmental heritage. The city also demonstrates its perfect vision and organization in bidding for the 2020 Olympics, having already hosted the games in 1960 and this year celebrating its 50th anniversary as the "Olympic City."

Exposition area

The Roma Capitale exposition area covers 200 square meters on the first floor of the Italy Pavilion. It gives an overview of ancient history, the present and future vision of the Italian capital.

Starting from the two busts of Emperor Adriano and his wife Sabina, it includes a graphic of the Michelangelo Campidoglio Square, the original Olympic Torch and Flag of 1960 Olympics and models of the great structures of the Rome Millennium Project. The area tells the story of a lively, densely populated, unique and future-oriented city.

Events

A week of events, conferences, workshops, meetings and exhibitions will show the Chinese and international public the potential of Rome as a European capital of the future. Concerning the Expo theme "Better City, Better Life," Roma Capitale presents its territorial marketing strategies and guidelines to create a new balance in the urban structure and in the environmental context.

Millennium Project

The presentation in Shanghai shows the largest urban and environmental revival project ever undertaken in Italy. The Millennium Project was the result of engagement of the capital administration guided by Mayor Alemanno.

It includes the Olympic Park and City of Sport; enhancement of the airport system and Tevere Fluvial Park; a social housing plan and social sustainability of the project; a second tourist hub, an urban area, EUR created to host the 1942 World Expo (called off because of World War II).

Today, this area is a diverse, multiple-identity district that the City and the EUR SpA Administration (management institution) seeks to transform into a highly relevant cultural, tourist, congressional and leisure destination. The aim is to develop varied offerings for new tourism segments, to host international events such as F1 Grand Prix, and to build the new EUR Congress Center, "The Cloud," by architect Massimiliano Fuksas.

Marble ambassadors

The decision to exhibit the marble busts of Adriano and Sabino at the Italy Pavilion - made possible by Musei Capitolini - was well considered. The emperor was an expert in world culture, a lover of art and architecture and a promoter of social improvement.

The two figures represent the primacy of Imperial Rome in the East and the rest of the world, not only in administration and economic advancement, but also as a beacon of culture and better living. These two sculptures symbolize the importance of Roman tourist routes and especially the Musei Capitolini.

Tongji University

Today the delegation visits students and faculty of Tongji University, the exhibition "Disegno e Design" organized by ICE, and the foundation Valore Italia. Biography of the Honorable Mayor of Rome Giovanni Alemanno

Giovanni Alemanno was born in Bari 52 years ago. He has lived and worked in Rome since 1970 in his capacity as a politician. He is married and has a 14-year-old son. He graduated with a degree in environmental engineering and is a member of the Roman Engineering Association. He is a freelance journalist, and founded the monthly newspaper Area and published a book titled "Intervista Sulla Destra Sociale" ("Interview on the Social Right Wing") (Marsilio, 2002).

Since 2006 he has chaired the Nuova Italia Foundation, which operates in the cultural and social areas. He is a fellow and member of the Aspen Institute Italia.

He has been a member of the Political Leadership and of the Executive Board of Alleanza Nazionale since the party was founded. He has held various party positions, such as national coordinator of economic and social policies and national deputy chairman. In 1990, he was elected to the Lazio Regional Council where he served as vice president of the Industry, Retail and Crafts Commission. In 1994 he was elected for the first time as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament. He was elected again in 1996, in 2001 and in 2006. He was member of the following commissions of the Chamber of Deputies: Environment and Public Works, Labor and Budget, and Treasury and Planning.

From 2001 to 2006, he served as Minister for Agricultural and Forestry Policies in the Berlusconi government. During the 2003 Italian presidency of the EU, he was president of the Council of Ministers of Agriculture of the European Union. In November 2003 he promoted and chaired the 1st Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Fishing and Agriculture. During his mandate as Minister of Agriculture, he became president of the FAO Committee that is a liaison between the Italian government and the UN Agency for Food and Agriculture. In this capacity, he actively participated in all international initiatives to fight against world hunger and poverty. He has been member of the presidency of the Popolo della Libert? party since its foundation. He is honorary member of the Kadima World Italia.

On April 28, 2008, he was elected Mayor of Rome.

During his two years as Mayor of Rome, he has steered the Municipality out of longstanding structural emergencies both financial requirements and security. He launched an Adjustment Plan to overcome a major debt crisis. With the new Roma Capitale Act, the situation is steadily improving as demonstrated by higher ratings given the city by ratings agencies. He then adopted a range of measures such as "A Pact for a Safe Rome" (Patto per Roma Sicura), the provision of weapons to the municipal police, the upgrading of illegal settlements and orders against prostitution and urban blight. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in crime. He honored the commitment undertaken during his election campaign to make Rome a safe city in line with other European capitals.