United States First Lady Jill Biden on
Wednesday visited the village in Sicily from which her
great-grandparents left for America at the turn of the 1900s.
"It's beautiful, it's incredible, thank you for such a warm
welcome, I would never have imagined it. As first lady I have
managed to bring together the entire Italian-American
community", Biden said this in her speech from a stage in the
square in Gesso, a village in the municipality of Messina.
The US first lady mentioned a local gastronomic specialty,
"braciole alla messinese" (Messina-style pork chops) which, she
revealed, "I had the opportunity to serve together with gnocchi
at the White House".
"The value of loyalty, hard work and the spirit of generosity
that my great-grandparents brought to America - added Jill Biden
- are still alive. I feel the warmth of home here today".
At the US air force base at nearby Sigonella, earlier, Biden
commented on her arrival in Italy with the phrase "I left the
best for last" and saying that for her it was "the honor of my
life" to serve as first lady.
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