50,000 face masks and 200 protection overalls, donated by COSCO SHIPPING arrived at Piazza De Ferrari, in the Liguria region of Italy, to support their epidemic prevention and control. Mr. Giovanni Toti, President of the Liguria region received the donation from Mr. Hu Hua, Managing Director of COSCO SHIPPING Lines Italy.
At the donation ceremony, Mr. Giovanni Toti entrusted COSCO SHIPPING Italy to deliver a signed appreciation letter on the spot to Capt. Xu Lirong, Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING, together with a regional flag of Liguria. In the letter, he said, “COSCO SHIPPING is an important client for Ligurian Ports and with your partner Frateli Cosulich you have created 32 years ago a strategic joint venture, COSCO SHIPING Italy, providing safe jobs to 148 families in Genoa, Milano and Naples in addition to the important business you have delivered to local Trucking Companies, Forwarder and Custom Brokers. You have recently invested important resources in the Port of Vado with many jobs created.” He also said, “Today, you have shown your friendship, care and social responsibility to our people and our citizens. We will never forget!!! Italian people will always remember it. We hope to be able to handle this crisis the same way you did in China.”
The donated medical supplies will be transported by local civil defense department to the distribution center of the San Martino Hospital in Genoa before being transferred to all hospitals in Liguria.
The donation created buzz in the region.
On March 19, TGR, a local TV station, reported the event on its news. According to the report, President of the Liguria region Mr. Giovanni Toti said, “this is vital support to the medical workers, who have been facing a shortage of protective supplies. These face masks donated by COSCO SHIPPING will be immediately sent to San Martino Hospital and distributed to other hospitals in Liguria.” On the packaging boxes of these face masks were written the encouraging phrases: “Through adversity to the stars,” “Let hope hold up the world,” and “Stay Strong, Italy!” “In the next few days, more face masks and other medical supplies will be sent from China to support the public organizations in Liguria including law enforcement and public transportation systems,” Mr. Giovanni Toti added.
Local newspapers IL Secolo XIX and il Giornale covered the news and quoted Mr. Giovanni Toti, “I’d like to thank COSCO SHIPPING, our port business partner and Chinese friend, for their gift to Genoa and the Liguria region. They are among the first batch of aid materials from China. I’m glad that Liguria has forged a sound partnership with China, which has provided crucial support for the region to combat the epidemic.”
Local people also expressed their appreciations to China on the social media.
