Delegation from Isola del Liri visits Caledon to finalize “sister city” agreement

Flag-raising ceremony held outside Town Hall in Caledon East

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dignitaries from Caledon's sister city visited Town recently.

On October 10, a delegation from Isola del Liri, Italy, visited Town Hall in Caledon East. The delegation included Isola del Liri's mayor, Massimiliano Quadrini, and members of its Economic Development and Tourism teams. 

The delegation was in Caledon to finalize a sister city agreement between Isola del Liri and Caledon.

Caledon Mayor Annette Groves visited Isola del Liri in July to sign an agreement there. Plans were then made for an Isola del Liri delegation to visit Caledon to sign an agreement.

Caledon and Isola del Liri have been working on their sister city agreement since 2022, when Allan Thompson was still mayor of Caledon.

Public art, celebration of Italian heritage, and tourism marketing are the three main focuses of the sister city partnership.

At the October 10 signing ceremony, the Italian and Canadian national anthems were played and Town Crier Andrew Welch delivered a proclamation in English and Italian. The Italian flag was raised outside Caledon Town Hall, and a Council meeting was held to formalize the sister city agreement.

Ward 5 Councillor Tony Rosa said it was a very important day for Caledon as it entered into the sister city agreement. 

“I'd like to thank (the delegation) for taking this long trip,” said Rosa. “I calculated today that it's 7,182 kilometres between the centre of Isola del Liri and the centre of Caledon.”

Groves thanked Thompson, who was in attendance at the signing ceremony, for initiating the sister city process. 

Caledon and Isola del Liri are both an hour away from a major urban centre, pushing for tourism growth, and committed to agriculture. 

Quadrini, through translator Anna Meo of the Bolton Italian Cultural Centre, thanked Groves for inviting him to Caledon and said he's learned a lot in his time here. 

He said it's important for the two municipalities to share strategies around development and tourism. Quadrini said Isola del Liri can learn a lot from Caledon, and Groves said Caledon can learn a lot from Isola del Liri.

Quadrini and his delegation also attended Groves' business breakfast on October 11.

At the breakfast, Quadrini said he likes how business and government work together on important priorities in Caledon. He said he's thinking of hosting a similar business event in Isola del Liri as a way to bring the business community together.