November 22-26, 2005: Official delegation of Emilia-Romagna province (Italy) headed by Stephano Angelini, Director General of Italy World visited Rostov Oblast and Taganrog. The official delegation included business circles, representing the companies Italy World, Società Produttori Sementi Bologna, Gruppo Frigo Tecnica Internazionale, Politecnica Ingeneria e Architettura, Ariostea and Sitex.
November 25, the Italian delegation visited Taganrog and was received at the Mayor's Office by Nikolay Fedyanin.
The history of economic relations between Emilia Romagna and Rostov Oblast goes back to the 19th century, the time when Taganrog seaport was the major grain transhipment point in the South of Russia. Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot and military leader of the Risorgimento (unification of Italy) visited the seaport of Taganrog several times, bringing on his schooner oranges and importing Russian wheat.
A new start to Russian-Italian cooperation may be given with a project developped by Produttori Sementi S.p.A. who are investigating opportunities for durum wheat production in Rostov Oblast. In Spring 2006 kicks off the pilot production stage, which would be a 3,000 durum wheat tons trial (a full river-sea type cargo vessel). The objective is to obtain quality from a technological viewpoint, in order to satisfy the precise needs of the processing industry and to insure that the cultivars are required by the Italian market. The transshipments of grain are planned to be made through the Taganrog Commercial Seaport with volumes of up to 500 thou. tons annually.
The Italian delegatation visited headquarters of Taganrog-based company Yugtranzitservis and city's tourist attractions - Anton Chekhov memorial sites, Peter the Great monument, and Giuseppe Garibaldi monument in Taganrog, which was established in 1961 for the centennary of the establishment of the united kingdom of Italy, because it was in Taganrog, in 1833, that Garibaldi entered the secret movement "Young Italy" (La Giovine Italia).
