Club Marconi Italian Republic Day - Speech from The Hon. Mark Coure MP

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to join you all to celebrate Festa della Repubblica at Club Marconi! Today’s spectacular celebrations mark the birth of modern Italy and a new chapter in the pages of history which witnessed the unanimous call for democracy.

There is no better way to celebrate this wonderful occasion than by coming together, eating, laughing and enjoying each other’s company on a Sunday afternoon! Club Marconi is an absolute institution, and it is a wonderful example of how the Italian community has become part of modern Australia’s story.

It grew out of small beginnings in 1958, when a few Italian migrants gathered together to play bocce. Now with over 46,000 members, the club is not only a central hub to gather for the Italian community in Sydney, but for those right across NSW. This illustrates the vital role that Italian migrants and generations of their Italian-Australian descendants have played in shaping New South Wales.

You’ve done this through your determination to succeed, your determination to contribute and your determination to give back and keeping the Italian heritage alive here today is so important. It ensures that we continue to take an interest in the cultures, languages and traditions of our families, friends, work colleagues and even neighbours.

As Minister for Multiculturalism, I am proud that we show the rest of the world how successful we are as a multicultural society. Because irrespective of our cultural background, language or religious beliefs, we share the same values and hopes.

And on behalf of the NSW Government, I thank you all for sharing those values and I thank you for working with us to achieve our collective vision. This vision is to make New South Wales even greater, because it is only when we all contribute and collaborate, that we can thrive as one.

The NSW Government is committed to our multicultural communities. We are committed to building our friendship to strengthen the success of our great State and this could not be achieved without each and every one of you in this room.

I thank Morris Licata and his Club Marconi family for preserving Italian heritage and culture for future generations of Australians.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me to share your magnificent Italian National Day celebration.

Grazie e… Buona Festa della Repubblica!