BEIRUT: Memories of the Vespa, an Italian symbol, will be recalled on Tuesday with the launch of the first Vespa exhibition in Lebanon. The event, which begins at 8:00 pm, is being hosted by the Italian Embassy in Baabda, and is the product of collaboration between the embassy itself, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Piaggio Group Italy and A.N. Boukather sal.

“The aim is to share with Lebanon the history of the Vespa, a vehicle which has recently enjoyed an upsurge of popularity in this country after the production of the ‘Lebanese Vespa,’” an embassy statement said on Monday.

The story of the Vespa as sold in Lebanon, sporting Lebanese colors, began in Milan in November 2009. During the Milan Fair, a Vespa S College was exhibited. To the importers and representatives of Vespa in Lebanon, its red seating and white central and lower body were instantly reminiscent the colors of the Lebanese flag. In seeing this, Vespa designers were keen to create such a model, and once back in Beirut, work began immediately in order to turn the idea into a reality. Soon, the “Lebanese Vespa,” distinguished by its two red stripes separated by a white stripe containing a cedar-tree emblem, was born and marketed.

“The ‘Lebanese Vespa’ exemplifies the strong relationship and friendship between Italy and Lebanon, with Italian design and Lebanese nationalist colors conjoined in one symbolic vehicle,” the statement said.

Many recognize the Vespa as a symbol of contemporary Italy, and the country’s creativity and technology. It fulfills an important role in the history of habits, industry and contemporary design that goes well beyond the Italian frontiers.

The scooter was first created in 1946, thus constituting an important sign of the recovery of Italy after World War II. The Vespa was the brainchild of Enrico Piaggio, son of Rinaldo Piaggio. Rinaldo was then the owner of the Piaggio Group which today has a product group including motorcycles, scooter and mopeds. Enrico was determined to create a low-cost product for the masses; one which was also ergonomic and comfortable to use. Enrico developed the scooter we are familiar with today, drawing on his aeronautical experience and basing his designs on a small motorcycle made for parachutists.

The Vespa, which means “wasp” in Italian, gained its name when Enrico himself, looking at the M6 prototype with its wide central part where the rider sat and the narrow “waist” exclaimed: “It looks like a wasp!”

Vespa achieved immediate and overwhelming success; the highly regarded newspaper The Times defined it “a completely Italian product, such as we have not seen since the Roman chariot.” It became a symbol of modern Italy, leading foreign journalists in the 1960s to refer to Italy as “the country of the Vespa.” In the present day, the scooter remains an object of desire for people across the globe and retains an almost myth-like status. It is admired everywhere for its unique style, seen as an expression of the taste and elegance for which Italy is renowned.

From the Vespa’s beginnings in 1946, “Vespa Clubs” were founded in order for enthusiasts to share their passion for the two-wheeled means of transportation. In 2006, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the scooter’s creation, a “Vespa World Club” was created to coordinate and promote Vespa Clubs worldwide. Today the Vespa World Club constitutes 35 national Vespa Clubs, 685 local Vespa Clubs and more than 31,000 individual members all over the world. Vespa is now produced in 13 different countries and sold in 114 countries, including Australia and South Africa. To date, more than 17 million units have been produced, in more than 150 models.

The name “Vespa” is also associated with numerous records, sports and trips around the world. It is synonymous for many with aspects of popular culture, particularly film. The scooter can be seen in “The Dolce Vita,” viewed by many as representing a milestone in the history of contemporary cinema, and perhaps most famously, the scene with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in the film “Roman Holiday.”

“Lebanon’s romance with the Vespa and the continued commercialization of Vespa models in this country is further proof of the success of the ‘made in Italy’ symbol,” the embassy statement said.

“Furthermore,” the statement added, “it constitutes a further confirmation of the excellent relations, particularly in the commercial sector, which are enjoyed between Italy and Lebanon.”