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Italy has launched its latest Italian Cultural Institute in Coral Gables.
The new cultural institute at 209 Altara Ave., one of six in the US, is set to showcase the best of Italy in culture, design, style and manufacturing, said Maeci Mariangela Zappia, ambassador of Italy to the US.
“We want to offer and showcase here the Italian way, which is a lot of innovation and creativity,” she told Miami Today. “There are a number of Italian brands that are really close by, like eateries. So, in a way, it will become an Italian destination right in the middle of Coral Gables.”
Since 2018, there has been a 30% increase in Italian residents living in Florida with over 50,000 reported in 2022. About 2 million Italian Americans live in Florida alone, according to the Consulate General of Italy in Miami. There are currently over 12,500 Italian language students across the state ranging from elementary school to college and about 150 Italian companies, which have created over 7,500 jobs.
Trade and exchange between Italy and the Southeastern US have increased from $8.2 billion in 2019 to $8.4 billion in 2022, the US Department of Commerce reported in October 2022.
“So, you see the footprint of Italy in Florida statewide,” Ambassador Zappia added. “This is a perfect location (the Italian Cultural Institute) where you will see what culture Italy has to offer traditionally but also a more modern face to it, which is what Miami is ready to get in touch with.”