Barletta mayor invites Anthony Albanese to visit the Italian town where his father was born

Australia’s Prime Minister is a hero to an Italian town, with some believing he deserves to have a statue erected in his honour.

The mayor of the Italian town where our PM’s father was born and raised has extended a personal invitation for him to visit.

Cosimo Cannito said Anthony Albanese had brought ancient Barletta, in southern Italy, “to the fore on the world stage” by talking about his heritage throughout the May election campaign.

“Above all this is the success story of a man who, starting from the other side of the world, was able to rediscover his origins and now proudly claims them,” he said.

“And it makes sense the whole community of my city is proud to have him at the helm of a great countries (sic) such as Australia. I would like to personally invited (sic) (him) to Barletta.”

Mayor of Barletta Cosimo Cannito has extended a personal invite to Anthony Albanese to visit the town. Picture: Supplied

Michele Rasola lives in Barletta believes Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should have his own monument in the Italian town. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

One businessman from the tourist spot — known for its large bronze statue of a Roman emperor — is so enamoured by Mr Albanese as a “working-class politician”, he thinks he should have his own monument there.

“Mr Albanese is a Barlettano, a Barlettano has won the Australian election and this is a great opportunity for our town to be known in Australia,” Michele Rasola said, standing in front of the famed Colossus of Barletta statue, which was lost in a shipwreck in 1204.

The Colossus of Barletta. Picture: Supplied

“We would like him to spend time with us to properly understand that this is a town full of people like him, like his father, who worked hard to make ends meet and to better themselves,” Mr Rasola said.

“Maybe it’s time Colossus had a new friend standing next to him.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Italian father was born and raised in Barletta. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Silvia Massara from Rome bought a holiday home in Barletta. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Silvia Massara, 59, who lives between Barletta and Rome, said Mr Albanese gave Barletta and its 94,000 residents a new claim to fame.

“Barletta doesn’t only have good food, good people and a rich history which includes a battle of knights in the fifteen hundreds, but now we can claim a part of Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese,” she said.

“He should come back and properly visit Barletta, for the annual summer street festival – we would love to see him here, he’s part of us now.”

Barletta real estate agent Giovanni Sciascia welcomes Anthony Albanese to visit the Italian town where his father was born. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Giovanni Sciascia, a real estate agent, said: “When you’re famous, everyone wants a piece of you and we want Anthony Albanese too.

“My father knew his father who was away working at sea a lot and it’s a pleasure to be able to call the Australian prime minister one of us, our door is always open to him.

“Barletta is recently becoming a holiday destination for tourists and Mr Albanese should visit and help raise the town’s profile even more.”

Originally published as Barletta mayor invites Anthony Albanese to visit the Italian town where his father was born