On Sunday, May 12, Florence Mayor Dario Nardella gave the commencement speech at Syracuse University. In addition to mentioning great Italian writers like Dante and Calvino he encouraged the graduating class to “be like the Mud Angels” (the foreign students who helped Florence recover from the terrible flood of 1966). He also stressed the importance of listening and paying attention to your surroundings, and of being passionate and compassionate in the pursuit of your dreams.
The mayor’s invitation to serve as the 2024 Syracuse commencement speaker drives home the special relationship that has developed between Florence and Syracuse since our program was founded in 1959. As Nardella told Syracuse University News here, “thanks to the relentless commitment of its leadership, the Florence program has been able to convey a deep understanding of our cultural heritage so that students can make the values it embodies their own.”
“His emphasis on peace and community engagement left a lasting impact,” remarked Syracuse Florence Director Sasha Perugini, who joined the mayor on the home campus for the exciting event. You can watch Mayor Nardella’s commencement speech here.