Yesterday was a warm, clear evening, ideal for a soirée by all accounts. And not just any soirée at that, for yesterday was a 100th birthday party. Not for a person, but for an organisation: none other than (you guessed it) the British Institute of Florence! Held on the riverside lawn of the Società Canottieri Firenze - the Florence Rowing Club - the celebrations were a roaring success, with approximately 200 guests, superb food and drink (of which more later) and a generally relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere throughout. Moreover, perhaps more importantly, it was an opportunity to demonstrate the cultural and linguistic openness that the Institute is all about, something all the more essential before the prospect of immense political overhaul in the UK as well as the rest of Europe.
As the guests filed in, they were greeted by a drinks and canapés reception, and there was plenty of time both to mingle with familiar faces and meet new people. There were people I know from the History of Art course and fellow colleagues helping out, as well as some high-profile guests such as the British Ambassador to Italy, Jill Morris, and Florence's Deputy Mayor, Cristina Giachi. There were also tables headed by the language teachers from the Institute, as well as a table dedicated to History of Art which had a fun and challenging quiz, all of which was great for showcasing what the British Institute does. In a spirit of internationalism there were also present people from the German and Spanish Institutes of Florence to promote their organisations, so for many it was a highly informative as well as enjoyable evening!
Once the soirée was fully under way, though, we were summoned to gather around the pièce de résistance, which came in the form of a huge cake made to look like several books atop one another, with the British Institute's centenary stamp emblazoned on the top layer. At this point, our director, Julia Race, gave an affectionate speech highlighting the Institute's history of encouraging Anglo-Italian relations. The Deputy Mayor and British Ambassador reinforced this sentiment, making the evening seem particularly symbolic in light of the Prime Minister's Brexit speech given last Friday in Florence. These speeches were followed by a short awards ceremony for those who won free language tuition as part of last week's quiz in honour of the European Day of Languages. Then came the ceremonial cutting of the cake; it was no easy task and, indeed, it was almost a shame to see the work of art (made by Melanie Secciani from Tuscan Wedding Cakes) cut into and devoured shortly thereafter by the hungry guests (myself included).
In short, the British Institute of Florence did itself proud by hosting an event like this; a high time was had by all, and it assured me that, irrespective of political developments, the link between the UK and Italy is bound to remain as strong as ever. Here's to the next 100 years!
As the guests filed in, they were greeted by a drinks and canapés reception, and there was plenty of time both to mingle with familiar faces and meet new people. There were people I know from the History of Art course and fellow colleagues helping out, as well as some high-profile guests such as the British Ambassador to Italy, Jill Morris, and Florence's Deputy Mayor, Cristina Giachi. There were also tables headed by the language teachers from the Institute, as well as a table dedicated to History of Art which had a fun and challenging quiz, all of which was great for showcasing what the British Institute does. In a spirit of internationalism there were also present people from the German and Spanish Institutes of Florence to promote their organisations, so for many it was a highly informative as well as enjoyable evening!
Once the soirée was fully under way, though, we were summoned to gather around the pièce de résistance, which came in the form of a huge cake made to look like several books atop one another, with the British Institute's centenary stamp emblazoned on the top layer. At this point, our director, Julia Race, gave an affectionate speech highlighting the Institute's history of encouraging Anglo-Italian relations. The Deputy Mayor and British Ambassador reinforced this sentiment, making the evening seem particularly symbolic in light of the Prime Minister's Brexit speech given last Friday in Florence. These speeches were followed by a short awards ceremony for those who won free language tuition as part of last week's quiz in honour of the European Day of Languages. Then came the ceremonial cutting of the cake; it was no easy task and, indeed, it was almost a shame to see the work of art (made by Melanie Secciani from Tuscan Wedding Cakes) cut into and devoured shortly thereafter by the hungry guests (myself included).
In short, the British Institute of Florence did itself proud by hosting an event like this; a high time was had by all, and it assured me that, irrespective of political developments, the link between the UK and Italy is bound to remain as strong as ever. Here's to the next 100 years!
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