USA-FIRST LADY/ITALY-VICENZA U.S. First Lady visits army garrison in Vicenza

Record ID: 151724

  • Title: USA-FIRST LADY/ITALY-VICENZA U.S. First Lady visits army garrison in Vicenza
  • Date: 19th June 2015
  • Summary: VICENZA, ITALY (JUNE 19, 2015) (REUTERS) CROWDS GATHERING AT VICENZA U.S. ARMY GARRISON
  • Embargoed: 4th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAW50INKH8PWBC58QYL2SDF8MO
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama took the opportunity to speak out about about her sorrow for the nine people killed in a church in South Carolina as she visited American soldiers and their families at the U.S. Army Garrison in Vicenza on Friday (June 19) during her five-day visit to Italy.
    Mrs Obama was greeted warmly by the crowds who had gathered for a barbecue.
    She spoke about the attack on a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, where nine people were killed.
    "Simply saying that our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and the community of Charleston simply doesn't convey the heartache that we all feel. We've seen too many tragedies like this and there is something particularly horrifying about something that happens so senseless in a house of worship," Obama said.
    "So my heart goes out to the people of Emanuel and to the people of Charleston. I pray for a community that I know is in pain and with the hope that tragedies like these will one day come to an end," she said.
    The First Lady added that meeting the serving troops and their families gave her hope.
    "That is what I always try to come back to - hope. Hope. And I can do that because of people like all of you. That's the best part of this job. I come here and I have hope," Michelle Obama said.
    Obama greeted the families while her daughters helped serve food.
    Later on Friday the the president's family will travel on to Venice where they are due to stay until Sunday (June 21).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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