The Italian Ambassador to Bucharest, Alfredo Durante Mangoni, accompanied by the Head of the Economic and Trade Bureau, Alice Rubini, by Ms. Director of the ICE Agency in Bucharest, Micaela Soldini, responsible for the Bureau of press and cultural Affairs, Mr. Vincenzo Tamarindo, carried out a mission to Cluj-Napoca from 2-4 February 2022. The delegation was assisted by the honorary Consul, Mr. Massimo Novali. Cluj County is an innovative ecosystem supported by research and technological development activities, with strong integration between industry and training. There are over 1200 Italian companies active in manufacturing and construction, hotel, business consulting and freight. The delegation met the Italian Community resident in Cluj and visited the Marelli offices and the De Longghi production plant. The meeting with the Vice-President of the Cluj Regional Council, István Vákár, allowed the examination of possible collaborations in various fields, including infrastructure, medical and cultural. The ambassador stressed the need to increase the city's viability through the "City belt" project, which aims to build the bridge between DN1C and DJ 109D in the Tetarom III industrial park area, a major production facility where Italian companies are also active. The meeting with Cluj Prefect István Szilárd Tasnádi focused mainly on the management of the pandemic and the collaboration between Italy and Romania in the emergency period. The Italian delegation then traveled to the City Hall of Cluj-Napoca, for a meeting with mayor Emil Boc, who presented the city's strengths: the university, the young and highly qualified labor force, the focus on innovation, the particular focus of start-ups. The Ambassador referred to the capacity of Italian companies to contribute to the sustainable development of the city in a variety of sectors, including technology, energy (especially from renewable sources) and waste treatment. In the presence of the mayor, the representatives of the City Hall and the Italian Community in Cluj, Mr. The ambassador then handed over the honorary consul of Italy, Massimo Novali, the distinction from the Cavaler of the order Steaua Italy awarded by the President of the Italian Republic. The higher education sector was the subject of a step-by-step in-depth study at Babes-Bolyai University (UBB) and at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), two of the main universities in Romania. The Ambassador met the rectors, Professor Daniel David and Cornel C?toi. During the meeting at Babes-Bolyai University (UBB), possibilities for extending cooperation networks with Italian universities and opportunities for connecting with Italian companies operating on Romanian territory were explored. At the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), the analogueies between the Romanian and Italian positions in agri-food and zootechnical research and on the development of European policies on nutrition and sustainable agriculture were highlighted. The meeting with the Greek Catholic Bishop of Cluj-Gherla, Claudiu Lucian Pop, was an occasion for a broad discussion on the work of the Greek Catholic Church in Cluj and Transylvania and on the main social and assistance emergencies in the region. At the end of the mission, the Italian delegation visited Marelli's headquarters in Cluj, where the company designs and tests mecatronic and car software systems, with the contribution of about 300 employees who are watching projects from Cluj around the world. Embassy representatives then visited Jucu, where the DeLonghi production plant is located. The company, with 3.700 employees in Romania, has doubled its production over the past two years and is about to open its third plant in Satu Mare. Always attentive to the well-being of its employees, DeLonghi has also successfully undone an internal vaccination campaign for the benefit of its staff. (Photo:https://www.facebook.com/ItalyinRomania/photos/pcb.4589846964471034/4589835614472169/)
Romanian deep-tech startup .lumen, the developer of what it says are the world’s first AI-powered glasses for the blind, has secured a new investment from EIT Urban Mobility, the European innovation community focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive urban mobility solutions. The value of the new funding round was not disclosed. The investment aligns with […]
The health spending per capita in Romania was the lowest in the EU, with spending less than half the EU average in 2023, the recently released report, State of Health in the EU - Romania Country Health Profile 2025, shows. At the same time, life expectancy in Romania is 5.1 years below the EU average, […]
Romania’s annual inflation rate stood at roughly 9.8% in November 2025, similar to October, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Food prices increased by 7.6% last month, while services rose roughly 11% and non-food goods climbed 10.7%. The consumer price index rose by 0.42% in November compared with October, while […]
Three French soldiers deployed in Romania as part of NATO’s Multinational Battle Group at Cincu intervened to save a truck driver following a serious traffic accident on the A3 Bucharest–Ploiești motorway, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said. The incident occurred earlier this week as the soldiers were traveling toward Ploiești and witnessed the truck crash...
Eight contemporary art galleries will present the works of the artists they represent at the third edition of the Smallest Art Fair in Town, an event dedicated to works on paper. This edition showcases works “investigating the state of wandering, disorientation, and rediscovery in the face of uncertainty.” Under the title In Dark Woods, A […]
Parents everywhere are asking an important question: What skills will truly prepare a child for a world defined by rapid change, global uncertainty, and the rise of artificial intelligence? For decades, schools focused entirely on academics. Today, research from neuroscience, performance psychology, and leading universities shows a different reality: The students who thrive long-term are […]
