HMAS Ballarat Hosts an Official Reception in Italy
25 June 2009
Upon her arrival in Civitavecchia, the first European port visit for HMAS Ballarat on Northern Trident 2009, Ballarat hosted her first official guest, the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, The Honourable Tim Fisher AC. The Hon. Mr Fisher AC is the first resident Australian Ambassador to the Vatican City, the world’s smallest recognized independent state, since 1973. Mr Fisher and his group were welcomed onboard Ballarat by Commanding Officer, Commander Kevin Turner for a luncheon and tour of the ship.
Later that evening, the group returned to attend an official reception co-hosted onboard by the Australian Mission to Italy and the Australian Ambassador, Amanda Vanstone. At the well attended function the ship’s company enjoyed chatting with dignitaries from the Italian military including Admiral Salvatore Ruzittu representing the Italian Chief of Navy and General Giovanni Di Federico representing the Italian Chief of Army. Commandants of pre-eminent Defence Colleges in Italy were also in attendance; Admiral Marcantonio Trevisani from the CASD (Italy’s Officer Training College, similar to the Australian Defence Force Academy) and Lieutenant General Wolf-Dieter Loeser, Commandant of the NATO Defence College.
The cocktail party represented a rare but welcomed opportunity for the Officers of Ballarat to engage with their counterparts from these often distant European forces, allowing them to enhance mutual understandings and strengthen ties between the forces. Other official military guests included the British Naval and Air Attaché to Italy, Commander Sean Steads, the Russian Naval Attaché to Italy, Captain Evgeny Scitov and representatives from the German, Turkish and Greek Navies who were in Civitavecchia as members of the Standing NATO Response Force–Mine Counter Measures Group.
Also in attendance at the function was Italian Princess, Elettra Marconi, the daughter of Italian scientist Guglielmo Marconi who is credited as the father of the modern wireless. Ambassador Vanstone noted that Princess Marconi had a special fondness for Australia and had told her she felt honoured to be invited onboard Ballarat for the official cocktail party.
All guests enjoyed a range of Australian delicacies which included emu, kangaroo and Tasmanian smoked salmon accompanied by wines from the Coonawarra and Hunter Valley. At the conclusion of the evening the guests were treated to a traditional Australian sunset ceremony. The ceremony included the firing by the guard of a single blank round to indicate the close of the day before the Australian White Ensign was lowered and the ceremony completed with the playing of the Australian National Anthem.
