A delightful moment of camaraderie graced the sidelines of the COP28 climate action summit in Dubai as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, 46, shared a heartwarming selfie with her Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The cheerful photograph, posted on Meloni’s Instagram account, featured the two leaders in a warm and friendly pose, drawing attention across the internet.
Captioned “Good friends at COP28” along with the hashtag ‘#Melodi,’ the image quickly garnered widespread acclaim, amassing over thousands of likes and numerous comments.
Good friends at COP28.#Melodi pic.twitter.com/g0W6R0RJJo
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) December 1, 2023
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi and Giorgia Meloni engaged in discussions during their meeting at the COP28 summit, focusing on collaborative efforts between India and Italy geared towards nurturing a sustainable and prosperous future.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his anticipation of fruitful cooperation, writing on social media, “Looking forward to collaborative efforts between India and Italy for a sustainable and prosperous future.”
Significantly, this heartwarming connection between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Meloni was initially unveiled during the G20 Summit held in Delhi earlier this year. Their bond was evident as they exchanged warm greetings with a handshake, which later led to shared laughter and a brief yet joyful conversation.
Giorgia Meloni had previously extended birthday wishes to Prime Minister Modi on September 17, referring to him as a “friend” while expressing her pride in India’s rich history. In her message, she wrote in Italian, “Happy Birthday Wishes @narendramodi. A friend committed to building the future and proud of the history of a great nation close to Italy.”
Moreover, during her maiden visit to India in March, Giorgia Meloni received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Modi, who congratulated her on becoming Italy’s first female and youngest Prime Minister, recognizing it as a historic achievement.
“I welcome Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on her first visit to India. In last year’s elections, the people of Italy voted for her, and she became the first woman and youngest Italian Prime Minister. I congratulate her on behalf of Indians for this historic achievement,” Prime Minister Modi had remarked.
Meanwhile, on the part of COP 28 Summit, besides Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister Modi had a busy schedule in Dubai, engaging in discussions with several world leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.
During his address at the summit, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of international collaboration in reducing emissions and advocated for a ‘green credit’ initiative focused on carbon skin creation. His call for collective action underscores India’s commitment to combat climate change and promote global partnerships in addressing this pressing global challenge.
