(VOVworld) – Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella received the Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long on Thursday. Mr. Long came to bid farewell at the end of his term in Italy. President Mattarella hailed Ambassador Long’s contributions to the strong development of Vietnam-Italy friendship and cooperation over the past few years, saying it had lifted their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. He presented the Ambassador with the Italian National Order of Merit in acknowledgement of his contributions.