The Italian community, in ten years, went from around 400 residents in the Algarve to the current 5500, revealed Francesco Berrettini, Honorary Consul of Italy in the Algarve region.
Berrettini was speaking after being awarded the “Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia” award by Italian Ambassador Carlo Formosa, during an almost intimate ceremony, with just 30 guests, in Albufeira.
This, which is one of the highest decorations of the Italian State, is awarded to Italians abroad or citizens of other countries for their “extraordinary achievements in promoting friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and other countries”. In this case, it was awarded due to the consul's "amazing way of working", explained ambassador Carlo Formosa.
The diplomat referred above all to the difficult and still recent years of the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected many Italians in the Algarve, with the «Italian community having had some difficulty in dealing with this new situation in a foreign country».
“Once the emergency situation had passed and the natural development of his role had recovered, he showed me that he had understood that an honorary consul today is not what he was 20, or even 10 years ago”, added the Italian ambassador.
A consul, he explained, “has to be the center of dialogue not only for those who are weak or those who need a consular service, but also be ready to give advice, to guide and develop business perspectives”. This «presupposes creating relationships, creating networks, creating possibilities for dialogue when necessary».
«Consul Berrettini showed, from the beginning of the emergency, but also after returning to normality, that he deserved my proposal to be considered for a decoration that is very important in Italy. My recommendation was immediately accepted by our Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of the Italian Republic», concluded Ambassador Carlo Formosa.
After receiving the diploma and the decoration being imposed on him, Francesco Berrettini highlighted that «from very early in my life I tried to help others». He was a scout, when he came to Portugal he helped other Italians, namely university students, always dedicating “a part” of his time “to the collective benefit”.
«My work today, in this society with which I collaborate, is also Empowered Startups, has a social benefit component, because they are helping Portuguese universities and polytechnics to carry out scientific research with highly qualified entrepreneurs».
Therefore, when he was appointed honorary consul, «almost 10 years ago, it was like continuing my spirit».
Being an honorary consul, explained Berrettini, “is a voluntary position”, but it must always be “a person with strong connections to the territory”.
In almost a decade, the characteristics of his work changed, following the change of the Italian community living in the Algarve. «When I was appointed, according to SEF statistics, the Italian community in the Algarve was made up of around 400 people. Since 2017, there has been significant growth, reaching around 5500 Italians», he highlighted.
Such as «Italians in the Algarve are the 5th most important foreign community, after the United Kingdom, Brazil, France and Romania»
And what attracted these Italians? Businessman and professor, with experience in the world of business and academia, the consul has no doubt that «there were tax benefits for non-habitual residents».
All of this «has somewhat changed the demographic and psychosocial profile of the Italian community: we have registered people of an older age, with some economic power and with significant experience, although without much experience of living abroad».
In the beginning, he recalls, «the needs that arose were at a more elementary level: having support in the relationship with the National Health Service, such as being able to bring a pet to Portugal», those types of situations.
Another “significant factor” pointed out by the consul is the increase in migration from Brazil to Portugal, as many of these immigrants come to the Algarve and “have dual Italian-Brazilian nationality”.
In addition to the administrative work, typical of a consul, even an honorary one, «there is another less known facet, but which, when we manage to do it well, gives some satisfaction», he added.
And this facet has to do with the “help we try to provide to Italians in the territory, in case of illness, robberies, death, search for people, arrests. This is what encourages me to continue».
The pandemic period was particularly difficult. In fact, the first person to die from Covid in the Algarve was an Italian. And Francesco Berrettini was there, not only to accompany the patient, as much as possible, but also to “build a bridge with the family, with the doctors, with everything related”.
In this regard, the consul made a point of highlighting that one of his supports in the hospital environment is the Italian doctor Giovanni Cerullo, responsible for the Palliative Care unit at the Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve (CHUA), one of the guests for this restricted ceremony.
Francesco Berrettini told several cases, some sad, which even prompted a joke from the ambassador, others "more friendly", like that of the elderly Italian admitted to a hospital in the Algarve, for which the consul arranged for his daughter, "who had not spoken for 30 years with his father, came here to pick him up and take him to Italy», where he accompanied him in his last days.
Or the case of a couple who were stranded in Faro, because she had a premature baby. «They were well received by the hospital, they accompanied the baby for six months, and, for two or three years, they sent me photos of the baby as if I were an uncle».
Or even that of «a young girl who had a heart attack here in the Algarve, but survived and returned to Italy on a hospital flight. Her father, for years, sent me photos of his daughter, when she graduated, etc. The important thing is that my wife isn't jealous or I would have had problems,” she joked.
«It is this type of activity that motivates me to do what I do, with great pleasure», he reinforced.
But none of this work is done without this network: «All of this is only possible with the help of people the Consul knows in the territory, such as authorities, mayors, health authorities and everyone who helps resolve cases».
«This unexpected decoration fills me with pride to continue serving my country of birth, but, by the way, also this country where I chose to live, because I am also a Portuguese citizen», he added.
Finally, Francesco Berrettini gave an emotional thank you to his wife Helena, also present at the ceremony.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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