It was a special day for the more than 250 Italians who flocked to Little Caesars Arena for the last regular season game of the Detroit Pistons, who returned to the playoffs after a six-year absence at the end of an amazing season. Fifty Italian excellences, business managers and institutional representatives took the court in a mini basketball tournament played on the NBA court – with Legea as the technical sponsor, which provided the uniforms – and celebrated Made in Italy day and UN International Sports Day.
The event, sponsored by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit, led by Consul Allegra Baistrocchi, in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan and President Lia Adelfi, was organized in collaboration with the IlNewyorkese group of Davide Ippolito and Italy America Summit Cup founder Emanuele Scamardella.
The game was framed by a special moment: the presentation of the first issue of IlDetroiter, the new newspaper of reference for the Italian community in Michigan, part of the large family of IlNewyorkese, the leader of the largest Italian publishing group present in the United States. For the occasion, Il Detroiter dedicated the cover to Simone Fontecchio, wing of the Italian national team and the Detroit Pistons, a symbol of the new generation of Italian talent that is making a name for itself overseas, who at the end of the day met with the community to award the winning team and take some photos.
“The National Made in Italy Day celebrates what represents us in the world: quality, creativity and the ability to combine tradition and innovation,” said Consul Allegra Baistrocchi. “Made in Italy is our calling card, a distinctive sign recognized and appreciated everywhere, but it is also the fruit of a culture that focuses on work well done, territory and the value of knowledge. In an international context such as Detroit, where Italy continues to leave a concrete imprint, this day takes on an even stronger value: it strengthens the link between our roots and the future we build together. And doing so under the banner of sport and the intrinsic values of teamwork – with an international champion like Simone Fontecchio – make it even more special.”
It was an opportunity to unite the Italian community, foster cultural exchange through sports with the goal of strengthening the bond between Italy and Detroit in the wake of Italian pride.
The article Detroit celebrates Made in Italy at Pistons’ last home game comes from TheNewyorker.
