Articles by: A. G.

  • Events: Reports

    Giro d'Italia Comes to the Consulate

    In the month of May, small and big towns become hosts to one of the multiple stages of Giro d'Italia. Funded in 1909 by a journalist Tullo Morgagni, the bicycle race has since become the most important after Tour de France. The modern edition of Giro d'Italia consists of twenty-one daylong segments over a 23-day period (including 2 rest days), during which people gather along the locations of the different stages to see the cyclists passing through. The winner of ‘Giro d’Italia’ wins the "maglia rosa" (pink jersey), the same shade of pink as that of "La Gazzetta dello Sport," the sport newspaper which organizes the race every year.

    New York is ready to admire a little piece of Giro d'Italia this Sunday when the Gran Fondo Five Boro will take place. The cyclists will ride through the five boroughs of New York City with a start line at 7:45 at the intersection between Franklin Street and Church Street in Manhattan.

    The TD Five Boro Five Tour was already a very popular and widely supported sporting event, but joined by the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia as partner, it gave life to Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Five Boro, and at the same time gained even more prestige.

    “The Five Boro is an amazing race that attracts over 30.000 thousands racers including a thousand of Italian and Italian-American cyclists. The Five Boro will take place this Sunday just a few hours after the start of the 2013 Giro d’Italia that will start in Naples” said Natalia Quintavalle, Consul General of Italy in New York, while introducing the event. Also during the introduction, addressing Gianni Bugno, Giro d’Italia winner of 1990, who will ride among the other bikers on Sunday, Quintavalle stated: “It is an amazing experience for me to ride the bike in New York City along with him. Even though Mr. Bugno and I will be next to each other at the starting line, I would like to tell Gianni ‘I will not wait for you to be together at the finish line, so you better hurry!'”

    Winner of the World Cycling Championships in 1991 and 1992, Bugno said, “I would like to thank you for inviting me here, to New York. Riding in a traffic-free New York is an emotional experience, an experience that I will share with other cyclists. I do not ride professionally anymore, but just as an amateur, so the Consul will have to wait for me.”

    “Giro d’Italia has been know as the toughest bicycle ride in the world, made of effort, sacrifice and history, and we are now trying to bring these values to the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia,” said Lorenzo de Salvo from RCS Sport, which organized the event together with Bike New York.

    The race will have its finish line in Staten Island where a pasta party will be held for all the riders. The Grand Fondo Giro d’Italia Five Boro is a great way to learn the positive values of sport and to see almost an entire city without traffic.
  • Facts & Stories

    NIAF. New York Spring Extravaganza

    There are more than seventeen million Italian-Americans in the United States,  all of them embodiments of  two cultures. For this reason NIAF, The National Italian American Foundation, dedicates its mission to promoting the culture and heritage of Italian-Americans.

    Every year, NIAF organizes a couture evening in New York to promote and honor the Italian-American Heritage. “Tonight, I see so many people committed to their heritage and community that it reminds us all exactly what we set out to preserve. On behalf of NIAF’s family, let me thank you for your support, confidence and belief in NIAF and our mission,” said NIAF's Chairman Joseph V. Del Raso, during his opening speach of the evening.
     

    Over six hundred guests were present at the legendary Cipriani on 42nd street, where the gala was hosted by Rosanna Scotto, co-host of Good Day New York. She thanked gala chairman Gerard S. LaRocca, NIAF board member and chief administrative office of Barclays Americas Capital, as well as honorary dinner chairman Mario Mercurio, senior vice president of PepsiCo Americas Beverages.
     

    After the invocation of Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello and both the American anthem and the Italian national anthem, 'Inno di Mameli,' sang by Tisch graduate Christina Carlucci and Italian-Australian singer Alfio, respectively, the guests had the chance to taste Italian delicacies: from fresh Burrata to Tiramisù, and sip on delicious Bellinis, Cipriani's most famous cocktail.
     

    During the night, personalities from various fields were honored by NIAF for their contribution to the Italian-American society. Mark J. Casella, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, received NIAF's Special Achievement Award in Accounting Services, Gerald A. Donini, chief operating officer of Corporate and Investment Banking at Barclays, was awarded in the Financial Services field, Dino Fusco, managing director and global head of real estate at Goldman Sachs & Co., received the Special Award in the Real Estate Services and Tony May, owner of contemporary Italian restaurant SD26, was awarded for the Food Industry. Among these men, a woman, actress Annabella Sciorra, got the award for her efforts in the Entertainment business.

    The night proceeded with an open auction, which included a custom family research package from “Roots in the Boots” and a New York Yankees Fan Package.  Roberto Iarussi, recognized as the most important Italian-American tenor after Mario Lanza,  among other pieces performed a song titled 'I believe' from his debut album  while the evening was nearing the end.
     

    Besides the award recipients celebrated by NIAF on April 4th at Cipriani 42nd street, a large part of the Italian and Italian-American community was also present, including the Honorable Consul General Natalia Quintavalle, actor Danny Aiello, Italy’s Ambassador to the United Nations Mission, Antonio Bernardini, former Italian Congressman and Amato Berardi, as well as NIAF’s Vice Presidents in the Greater New York region , Susan Paolercio and Nicholas R. Caiazzo.
     

    Once more NIAF celebrated the Italian-American heritage and culture with an elegant  gala enjoyed and appreciated by all attendees.

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  • Life & People

    “Inter Campus” @ the United Nations

    Sport is a powerful instrument: it connects people, cultures and societies while trying to teach good values as loyalty, friendship and support.

    In these past years Italian soccer has been under the microscope for scandals, betting and bad behaviors from both players and supporters but, despite all this, someone still evaluates the good that sport can really offer: back in 1997, in fact, Inter FC started a project to help children in need in more than twenty countries.
    Its mission, called “Inter Campus,” was born as a cooperation program whose aim was to use soccer as an educational key to restore the right to play for children aged between six and thirteen.
    The project, founded by the President of Inter FC Massimo Moratti and now directed by his daughter Carlotta, counts twenty-four countries and over 200 local instructors who keep helping over 10,000 children all around the world, from China to Argentina through Cameroon and Angola.
    This no-profit company, also partnered by local NGOs and private sector businesses, provides assistance to children using youth soccer programs that can educate them while playing with the great values of sport.
    Through all these years Inter Campus has been a success due, among other reasons, to the help of Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores, who directed a documentary about the program and its goals that has been projected at the 61st edition of the Locarno Film Festival.
    But Inter Campus doesn’t stop and stare: in fact, despite all the great developments through the years, it still wants to enlarge its commitment adding another country to the program. It’s indeed the turn of Tunisia, which will officially become the 25th country involved in the project.

     
    The creation of this new campus will be presented at the United Nations on November 28th, together with the launch of a new partnership with the UNOSDP Youth Leadership Camp, a part of the Sport for Development and Peace department of the United Nations.
    These presentations will be held in front of the General Assembly entrance at 6:00 pm and will feature the Italian Permanent Representative Ambassador Cesare Maria Ragaglini, the president of Inter FC Massimo Moratti, the UN Under Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke and the Tunisia Inter Campus Testimonial Afef Jnifef.
    At the event there will also be several soccer players, including Luis Figo and Francesco Toldo. 
  • Life & People

    i-Italy New York Edition: in Print & on TV (Channel 25)

    Coffee, food, wine, customs and a lot of culture. All of these come together in just one  show, the i-Italy TV show. Yes, you read right: i-Italy is going on screen every week starting on Saturday, November 23rd.

    And our Mister i-Italy|NY, designed by cartoonist Darrell Fusaro, will add more fun with his funny face on the TV screen.

    The show, running on channel 25  New York City Media on Saturdays at 11 PM and on Sundays at 1 PM, explores the Italian and Italian-American faces of New York City, and especially those parts that are not known, even to the majority of Italians and Italian-Americans that live in the city. It is a great opportunity to discover something new about the habits of a country that seems very far from the United States, yet it is very close, because of the many Italian spots and events in the city.

    The first episode starts with one of the most loved and known tradition of the Italian peninsula: coffee drinking. When Italians move to New York they never know where to find the right spot to drink a good cup of coffee, so our host Riccardo Costa gives everyone some advice on places that prepare real Italian espresso and serve the beloved breakfast with a cornetto.

    The taste of coffee is not all that matters; in fact, the way it is served is also crucial. Alessi, the leading Italian design company, opens its doors to i-Italy showing us handcrafted coffee-makers and coffee cups among their other long-standing tradition of kitchen, bathroom and home accessories.

    Continuing with old traditions, there is a particular one that has been alive for over one hundred and fifty years: it's Borsalino, a hat company formed in 1857 in Alessandria, the Piedmont region of Italy. In its life history, the felt hat has always been the mark of the company, chosen by celebrities from Charlie Chaplin to the Blues Brothers.

    On the other hand, the food segment this week, is cured by Charles and Michele Scicolone, husband and wife experts on food and wine. In Fabbrica, a newly opened restaurant on the Williamsburg waterfront they discuss different dishes: in the first episode, they talk about cold cuts. 

    Eating is not the only thing that defines Italy: culture, in fact, has always played a major role in the Italian society and Fred Plotkin, pleasure activist and connoisseur of Italian culture, each week proposes an Italian word to analyze, evaluating the differences between the Italian usage of it and the American one, giving practical examples that come from his deep passion and love for all things Italian.

    Another segment of the show is called i-Book, and in it, an intellectual or a professor suggests and discusses a must-read book. In the first episode, Prof. Anthony Tamburri, Dean of the Calandra Italian-American Institute, presents 'Terroni," a book by journalist Pino Aprile about the South of Italy and its condition. The book was a best seller in Italy and now is available in English.

    The show also presents actual writers: the first episode introduces the audience to Erri De Luca. Defined by the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera as “the novelist of the decade,” De Luca opens up his mind to memories, talking about his childhood, his love for books, which have always been part of his life thanks to his father and his connection to his American mother and her heritage.

    The i-People segment, instead, is all about Italians and lovers of Italy in New York, with the first episode dedicated to IDR (Italian Doc Remix), a band founded by Marco Cappelli and Jim Pugliese, composed by Italians, Italian-Americans and Americans that mix together sounds from the Italian tarantella, Southern folk music and the group's different experiences. 

    Finally, i-Italy has always been known for its ability to cover all the Italian and Italian-American events in New York City. In this spirit the show retraces past events, such as “Via del Popolo,” a section of the San Gennaro Festival, at Little Italy in Manhattan, event which features Alec Baldwin, the Italian-American Writers Association, which also presented at the fair, and the inauguration of the academic year at the Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi. At the end of i-Italy|NY programing you can find information about Italian events that are coming up.

    The I-Italy show is an opportunity to get closer to the Italian culture in New York City and you don't want to miss it. Our half-hour show is running on channel 25 on Saturday nights at 11 PM and, in case you miss it, on Sundays at 1 PM.
    Are you ready to be Italian? Or more Italian?
     
    Go to NYC Life - Channel 25 on Saturdays (11:00 pm) and Sundays (1:00 pm).
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  • Events: Reports

    Primaries. Italian Democratic Party: How, When to Vote in NY


     The Italian political prospective has never been more confusing. The final vote is in 2013, but the challengers are not defined yet. That's why this month will be crucial: on November 25th, in fact, the primaries of the Democratic Party (PD) will take place.



    And all the Italians abroad can now vote between Pierluigi Bersani, Nichi Vendola, Matteo Renzi, Bruno Tabacci and Laura Puppato.


    Below are the instructions for voting:


    WHO CAN VOTE:
    • All the electors who registered at AIRE, who aged 18 years by November 25th.
    • All Italians resident or temporary abroad for study or work who sign the public appeal for support of the center-left Coalition "Italia Bene Comune (Italy Common Good)" and claim to recognize in its Charter of Intent.
    • All voters who are considered as off-site, away from their respective place of residence, who provide written information to the local coordination. Those who fall into this category are: the military mission, the staff of the diplomatic and consular corps, the Erasmus students, university researchers abroad, Italian citizens temporarily residing abroad.
    HOW TO EXERCISE THE RIGHT TO VOTE:
    • The citizen must subscribe to the public appeal to support the center-left Coalition "Italy Common Good" and then enroll in the electorate register from November 4th to November 25th 2012 on www.primarieitaliabenecomune.it or in the offices* decided by the local coordination.
    HOW TO BE ALLOWED TO VOTE:
    • Each voter has to submit to the electoral office a valid document of identity and the voter certificate of the center-left coalition "Italy Common Good."
    • Each voter can vote only in the polling station of his foreign hometown assigned at the time of registration.
    WHEN TO VOTE:
    • Saturday November 24th from 10 AM to 8 PM.
    • A possible second round is scheduled for Saturday December 1st from 10 AM to 8 PM.
    *At the moment, the offices to exercise your vote are: 25 Carmine Street (Manhattan) and 24-44 Francis Lewis Blvd (Queens).


    More info on  >>>
  • Facts & Stories

    The World Needs a Strong Contribution from America



    A head to head competition! This is the way everybody thought this election would have been. Instead, Barack Obama was re-elected President of the United States just as some polling stations had closed.

     

    A bunch of people started celebrating all over New York City, from Times Square to the Rockefeller Center. And official greetings started to reach the President as well, including those from Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic, who sent him a message as the vote validated his victory. 



     

    “It is a pleasure to offer you warmest congratulations and best wishes both from me and all of Italy for your Presidential re-election and the beginning of your second term.” In this way, President Napolitano began his message to Barack Obama, expressing all his esteem to the campaign itself: “Let me also express admiration for the strong sense of responsibility with which the two candidates have immediately followed the announcement of the result, expressions of mutual recognition and shared commitment to work for the unity of the nation.”



     

    In his message, Napolitano also underscored the importance of the cooperation between Italy and the United States: “The American nation has entrusted you with a further mandate for the solution of its problems and, above all, to overcome a severe global economic crisis such as the one we are living together. Both the American and the Italian nations need the strongest friendship between our two countries and the closest cooperation between the United States and Europe so that it can advance the cause of world peace, democracy, and human rights. The world needs a strong contribution from America to construct a new balance and sustainable development in security and justice where no people and no country should be excluded.”


     

    Finally, President Napolitano concluded his message with personal greetings: “In this spirit, also accept my wishes of serenity and well-being for you and your wife.”