Yesterday, two dogwood trees were planted in a ceremony that took place in the garden of the Embassy of Italy in Washington. The symbolic gesture, part of the second World Forum on Urban Forests organized by the FAO with other international entities and ongoing in Washington DC until October 20th, aims to emphasize the importance of green spaces, urban forests, and sustainable development for all.
“The upcoming COP28 in Dubai and Italy’s G7 Presidency in 2024 will be an important opportunity for Italy to contribute to the goals of the global agenda in terms of sustainability and green transition. Increasing awareness of the role of urban forests in sustainable development is crucial: they are the lungs of our cities, mitigate the impacts of urbanization, and help lower temperatures in their vicinity.” With these words, Ambassador Mariangela Zappia welcomed guests to the Embassy’s garden before participating in the tree planting.
Maria Chiara Pastore, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Milan and coordinator of the Research Department of Stefano Boeri Architetti, highlighted, “The tree we planted today with the Italian Embassy comes from afar, from the first World Forum on Urban Forests that we organized in Mantua in 2018: today, five years later, we are here in Washington DC, on the occasion of the second World Forum on Urban Forests, to reaffirm our common commitment.”
In addition to the Ambassadors of Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Lesotho, and Zambia, representatives from FAO, Stefano Boeri Architetti, the Polytechnic University of Milan, SISEF (Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology), the Arbor Day Foundation, Ddot District Department of Transportation of Washington DC, the USDA Forest Service, Smithsonian Gardens, the International Society of Arboriculture, and Restore Mass Ave. participated in the ceremony.
