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Amid coronavirus scare, Italian president visits Chinatown school in Rome

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Mattarella



Italian President, Sergio Mattarella paid a surprise visit on Thursday to a state school in the heart of Rome’s Chinese neighbourhood.

It was widely seen as a gesture of solidarity in the wake of multiple reports of discrimination against Chinese or Asian people in Italy, fuelled by public anxiety about the new coronavirus outbreak.

“We thank President #Mattarella for visiting the D. Manin #school, attended by very many students from the Chinese community’’ the Chinese embassy to Italy tweeted.

The presidency did not mention the coronavirus, and simply said Mattarella visited a school in a neighbourhood with a very strong Chinese community presence.

The Manin institute is in Esquilino, a central district near Rome’s main train station. Inside the school, the 78-year-old Mattarella found primary and middle school children.

In a video released by the presidency, a class looked dumbfounded by their high-profile guest.

“As a teacher asked, who came in one child replied, the principal and another, ’’The vice-principal!”

The president shook hands, listened to children singing the national anthem, and left with two posters, one with the sign schools belong to everybody and another celebrating the Italian constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

NAN

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