Cheers to 30 Years of Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association!

Complimenti e grazie mille to our 30th Anniversary Committee and the SPSCA members who organized and executed an amazing week-long welcome in October to our Perugia delegation to celebrate and commemorate Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association’s 30th Anniversary.

The celebration began in Perugia in early September with a gathering at the Sister Orca sculpture, which included Andrea Romizi, mayor of Perugia; Clara Pastorelli, deputy mayor of Perugia and head of sports and commerce; and Elisabetta Valentini, Perugia native and long-time SPSCA board member, along with other friends of the sister cities.

The anniversary activities picked up again in Seattle in early October when a 16-person delegation from Perugia came to town to continue the tribute. Among the Perugia guests we were honored to welcome: Clara Pastorelli, deputy mayor; Mario Valentini, former mayor of Perugia and instrumental in the formation of SPSCA; Olimpia Bartolucci, director of the Umbria Library System; Dr. Katia Perruccio, president of Perugia’s Lions Club; Marialucia Luongo, cooking instructor and author; Riccardo Spadolini, entrepreneur and longtime sister city friend. \Also joining the delegation was Giorgio Moretti, ceramic artist and artistic director of L’Antica Deruta, whose studio produced the limited-edition ceramic commemorative plate, hand painted with a Pacific Northwest image created by the late internationally renowned Native American artist Marvin Oliver, who also designed the Sister Orca sculpture in Perugia.

From a ferry trip to Bainbridge Island, a visit to the Pike Place Market, a stop at Piazza Perugia, a tour of Caffe’ Umbria’s roasting plant, an introductory meeting between Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Perugia Deputy Mayor Carla Pastorelli, intimate hosted dinners at the homes of former and current Board members, the celebration was capped off by the grand finale, a gala dinner with ~100 in attendance enjoying good food and wine, great conversation and connections at Women’s University Club, in celebration of our 30-year “sisterhood.” EVVIVA!

To read more, link here for an article authored by former SPSCA board member and a contributor to L’Italo-Americano publication.