“The culture and the roots of the (Italian) community here is so important,” Wu said, addressing a small gathering of city officers, leaders from the North End, the city’s Italian neighborhood, and her family members. “We thank you for the exchange between our citizens.”
Wu and Costanzo exchanged gifts. From a navy bag stamped with a golden seal, Wu pulled out a blue pitcher, which she handed to Costanzo. In return, Wu received a commemorative plaque , cap, and framed picture. The gathering was filled with with hugs, kisses, and handshakes, while Wu’s young children darted around the office.
Also in attendance was Anthony D. Biasiotta, the mayor of Seven Hills in Ohio, a sister city to Coreno Ausonio, his grandfather’s hometown.
Biasiotta welcomed Costanzo to Seven Hills last week before heading with him to Boston.
Pewarski’s extended family hails from Coreno Ausonio. His mother showed the Italian mayor pictures from a yellow envelope, pointing out in one picture, “That was my grandmother.”
In May 2024, Wu visited Coreno Ausonio for a day. She met her husband’s relatives, and researched a family tree at the city hall, according to Lidia Di Bello, a delegate who accompanied Costanzo on the trip to the U.S.
Beyond family ties, Wu’s history with Italy is associated with her climate agenda. That same trip to Coreno Ausonio, Wu attended a multi-day climate conference in Vatican City, where she touted Boston’s approach to mitigating the global climate crisis. She was the only American mayor at the conference hosted by the Vatican and Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
More than a year after later, the city has completed a draft of its climate action plan, which will guide Boston through the next five years, Wu said. That plan will incorporate feedback from community members, and draws upon “best practices around the world,” like how other cities approach infrastructure, she said.
When Wu ran for mayor, she promised to reduce the city’s carbon emissions and increase the city’s resilience against climate change. As the global climate crisis looms, Boston has honed in on climate technology to build solutions for the future, Wu said. She noted that a great number of buildings are in need of being retrofitted for sustainability and energy efficiency.
“We don’t have time to plan for decades into the future. We need to see action and results immediately,” she said in an interview.
Wu said Wednesday’s meeting is a testament to community-building that “can transcend geography.” It’s especially true in the current political climate — when “there is so much in the world driving people away from each other,” she noted.
“The ties between Boston and so many of our global partners reflect a shared commitment to do what we can to take care of our communities,” Wu said. “That is an important source of hope.”
Biasiotta said mayoral exchanges symbolize unity between people from different cities and continents — a way “to make those distances even smaller,” he said.
Costanzo and Biasiotta explored the North End during their trip to Boston.
What’s next on the docket for the visiting mayors?
Biasiotta said he’s trying to “knock out” the rest of the Freedom Trail. He said he felt instantly welcomed by the city.
“Even though our cities are all different sizes — small, medium, large, there’s a thing that binds all three cities,“ Biasiotta said. ”It’s the hospitality of the people.”
Jessica Ma can be reached at jessica.ma@globe.com.
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