SEVEN HILLS, Ohio -- A bellissimo weekend was shared by all.
That’s how Mayor Anthony D. Biasiotta described the highly anticipated visit last weekend by Coreno Ausonio, Italy, Mayor Simone Costanzo to Northeast Ohio.
Seven Hills and Coreno Ausonio are sister cities.
“It exceeded my best-case scenario by turning into a way-of-life experience more than an event,” Biasiotta said.
“He was very excited to be meeting the people of Greater Cleveland. He’s very gregarious, a big personality, and incredibly easy to like and get along with.”
The link between Seven Hills and Coreno Ausonio is tied to the latter municipality being the hometown of Biasiotta’s grandfather Luigi.
It is located roughly halfway between Rome and Naples.
Planned in the spring, the international visit included many highlights.
“We had a function on Friday, basically a meet-and-greet for the local community, with Mayor Simone Costanzo at Home Family Club in Parma Heights, followed by our big gala on Saturday at the community recreation center,” Biasiotta said.
“That was the perfect venue for this, with flags hanging from the walking track above us.
“The ability to accommodate people from many different ethnic groups under one roof made it the ideal home for this event.
“Then, on Sunday, we had a picnic in Huntington Beach in Bay Village.”
Asked if there was a specific experience that epitomized the spirit of Costanzo’s visit, Biasiotta said that took place Saturday evening.
“The actual moment when we signed the official documents and we exchanged sashes to the roar of applause to those 270 people in attendance, it was very moving,” he said.
“It was a memory I won’t forget for decades to come.”
The fun for the two mayors continues this week, with both in Boston to meet that city’s mayor, Michelle Wu, whose husband, Conor Pewarski, has family origins in Coreno Ausonio.
Biasiotta previously said he hopes to reciprocate the good will with a visit to Italy in the near future.
He also has advocated for City Council members to bring forth cities from their ancestral places, or other places, that may expand the sister city tradition.
“At this point, nothing is official, but we’ve had a suggestion at the night of the gala that a city in Poland would be a natural fit to look into next,” he said.
“I asked council to perhaps explore cities of their own roots.
“I would really like this to become a tradition -- if not every year, than every other year -- that we continue to expand our global reach and understand our past.
“Understanding our history allows for better tomorrows.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.